Vocabulary
This page is being written as a handout for the tea group in Norway and is meant to be ordered in the sequence they should study the vocabulary.
- Part I – Ryakubon
Japanese | English |
Cha 茶 | Tea |
Chanoyu 茶の湯 | “tea ceremony” (literally “hot water for tea”) |
Chado 茶道 | way of tea |
Macha 抹茶 | Green powdered tea used for chanoyu |
Temae 点前 | The procedure for making tea |
Keiko 稽古 | Study session with a teacher |
Warigeiko 割り稽古 | Split exercise |
Ryakubon 略盆 | The first temae a student usually learned, using a tray |
Natsume 棗 | Container for macha, usually used in usucha temae |
Chawan 茶碗 | tea bowl |
Chakin 茶巾 | a linen cloth used to wipe the chawan |
Chasen 茶筅 | tea whisk |
Chashaku 茶杓 | small spoon for scooping tea (usually bamboo) |
Fushi 節 | the node on the chashaku or hishaku |
Fukusa 袱紗 | silk cloth used for purification |
Kensui 建水 | Container used for waste water during temae |
Tetsubin 鉄瓶 | a “coffee pot” used in temae |
a brazier used for tetsubin or small kama | |
A board that is placed under the furo or binkake | |
Tatami 畳 | straw mat |
Usucha 薄茶 | Thin tea, in Urasenke with foam |
Koicha 濃茶 | Thick tea |
- Part II – Hirademae
Japanese | English |
Temae: where mizusashi is carried in to the room | |
Mizusashi 水指し | Fresh water container |
Futaoki 蓋置き | Lid rest. |
Hishaku 柄杓 | Ladle for scooping hot/cold water |
Kama 釜 | Kettle |
Futa 蓋 | Lid |
Furo 風炉 | Brazier used for a kama, bigger than a binkake |
Ash formation for the brazier | |
Nimonji oshikiri | The most commonly used haigata |
- Part III – Phrases
The English for these phrases are not really translations but rather what might be appropriate to say in English instead of them.
Japanese | English |
Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu | Let us work together/be kind to each other |
Okashi o dozo | These are the sweets / Please have a sweet |
Ippuku sashi agemasu | I would like to serve you a bowl of tea |
Osakini | Pardon me for going ahead of you |
Otemae chodai itashimasu | Thank you for making tea |
Oshoban itashimasu | I will join you |
Dozo oshimai kudasai | Would you please close |
Oshimai ni itashimasu | I will do as you ask |
Shitsurei itashimashita | Please excuse me |
O natsume to chashaku no haiken O | May I have a look at natsume and chashaku |
- Part IV – Phrases
The English for these phrases are not really translations but rather what might be appropriate to say in English instead of them.
This is the some of the Koicha Dialog.
Japanese | English |
Okashi o dozo, meshiagari no ue de. Koshikake machiai de nakadachi o dozo. | Please have the sweets, and then retire to the waiting arbour. |
So sasette itadakimasu. O narimono de | We will do that. Please call us back with a noise maker |
Koto ni yote | Ok / It depends on things |
O-fukukagen wa ikaga de gozaimasuka? | How is the tea? |
Taihen kekko de gazaimasu. | It is excellent |
Taihen oishuku chodai itashimashita | The tea was very delicious. |
O-Chamei wa? | What is the name of the tea? |
O-tsume wa? | Where is the tea from? |
Zenseki no o-kashi mo thaihen oishiku chodai itashimashita. Gomei wa? | The sweets we had previously was also excellent. What is it called? |
Go-sei wa? | What was their provenance? |
Teisei de gozaimasu | They were handmade |
- Part V – Other useful words