How To Say “Green Tea” In Japanese
Green tea is a popular beverage around the globe, and certainly popular in Japan, too. Knowing how to say green tea in Japanese is a great first step to understanding the culture a bit better and making sure you order the right tea when at a restaurant or cafe. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced Japanese learner, here is a quick and easy guide on how to say and write green tea in Japanese.
Saying Green Tea In Japanese
The phrase you will use to refer to green tea in Japanese is “ryokucha” (緑茶). Although the word itself is written using the kanji characters (Chinese characters) for “green” and “tea”, when spoken it’s pronounced very similar to the English word “loch-uh-chuh”, or a combination of both.
Types Of Green Tea In Japanese
The Japanese language has many different words for green tea, depending on the type of tea you’re talking about. Some of the more popular words are listed below.
- Sencha (煎茶): This is the most popular type of Japanese green tea, and is made by steaming and drying whole leaves.
- Matcha (抹茶): This is a powdered green tea, made from dried and ground leaves. Often used in desserts and drinks.
- Genmaicha (玄米茶): This is a type of green tea with added toasted rice, giving it a nutty flavour.
- Houjicha (ほうじ茶): This is a roasted tea with a nutty, toasty flavour.
- Kukicha (茎茶): This is made from the twigs and stems of the tea plant, and is significantly lower in caffeine.
Summary
In conclusion, the Japanese phrase for green tea is “ryokucha” (緑茶). Depending on the type of tea you’re talking about, you may want to use alternative words such as “sencha”, “matcha”, “genmaicha”, “houjicha” or “kukicha”. With this quick guide, you’ll now be able to order green tea with ease in Japan, and perhaps even order some green tea-related products in a store!
