Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 を 茶ちゃ 碗わん に 盛も る to serve (food) in a bowl
I served the rice in a bowl.
茶ちゃ 碗わん を 洗あら う to wash a rice bowl
I washed the rice bowls after the meal.
茶ちゃ 碗わん が 割わ れる for a bowl to break
I accidentally broke the bowl.
Related words 湯呑み is a cylindrical, lidless cup used specifically for drinking tea, while 茶碗 can refer to a wider bowl used for rice, tea, or general food.
どんぶり is a larger bowl used for noodle or rice dishes, whereas 茶碗 is the smaller personal bowl used at each place setting.
Don't confuse with 椀 usually refers to a lacquered wooden bowl used for soup or miso soup, while 茶碗 is a ceramic bowl used mainly for rice or tea.
茶碗 sounds similar to お椀 but refers to a rice bowl or teacup (often ceramic), whereas お椀 specifically means a wooden bowl usually for soup.
Word family· 9 chawanmushi; savory steamed egg custard
hand-moulded earthenware teacup; Raku teacup
rice bowl
tenmoku tea bowl; dark-glazed conical tea bowl of Chinese origin
his-and-hers teacups; his-and-hers rice bowls
Show 4 more Show fewer Koryo dynasty tea bowl
small handleless teacup
teacup
coffee cup
Written forms 茶ちゃ 碗わん Usage 90%
茶ちゃ わん Usage 8%
Common simplified spelling using kana for 碗 .
ちゃわん Usage 2%
チャワン Usage <1%
Etymology From Chinese 茶碗 (cháwǎn), literally 'tea bowl'. The word entered Japanese with the introduction of tea culture and later extended to rice bowls.
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.