fine tea; brand-name tea; famous tea
Refers to high-quality, often branded or renowned green tea. Used in commercial contexts, gift-giving, or when emphasizing superior grade.
京都のお土産に銘茶を買った。
I bought some fine tea as a souvenir from Kyoto.
この店は全国各地の銘
This shop carries brand-name teas from all over the country.
日本茶 simply means Japanese tea; 銘茶 is a subset referring to premium, branded varieties.
Standard kanji spelling; 銘 implies a reputable brand or fine quality.
Alternate spelling using 名 (famous); less common than 銘茶 but still encountered.
Compound of 銘 (inscription, brand) and 茶 (tea), literally 'branded tea'. The alternate spelling 名茶 uses 名 (famous) with the same reading.