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

Binkake

a brazier used for tetsubin or small kama

Shikiita

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

Usucha Hakobi

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

Haigata

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

Keiko 稽古

Study, Training

Junbi 準備

Preparation

Katazukeru

Cleaning/tidy up

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