noun
tea cloth; tea napkin
A small cloth used in tea ceremony to wipe tea bowls, or a similar cloth for kitchen use.
茶道では、茶巾で茶碗を拭きます。
In tea ceremony, you wipe the tea bowl with a tea cloth.
台所で使う茶巾を新しいものに替えた。
I replaced the tea cloth used in the kitchen with a new one.
布巾 is a general dishcloth or wiping cloth, while 茶巾 is specifically associated with tea ceremony or a small cloth for tea-related use.
From 茶 (tea) + 巾 (cloth). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used in tea ceremony contexts for centuries.