Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
茶chá(cha2)
The character 茶 (chá) refers to tea, a popular beverage made by steeping the leaves of the tea plant in hot water. It is commonly consumed in various cultures, particularly in China, where tea holds significant social and ceremonial importance.
Strokes9Radical艹Frequency#2028DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
Tea culture in China is rich and varied, with traditions such as Gongfu tea ceremonies that emphasize the art of tea brewing. Tea is often served to guests as a sign of hospitality.
Memory Tip
Imagine a steaming cup of tea (茶) in your hand. The character looks like a tree (木) with a mouth (口) beneath it, suggesting the leaves of the tea plant are harvested and brewed to create the drink we love.
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 茶
Quick Contrast
茶 (chá, tea) vs 咖啡 (kāfēi, coffee) — choose 茶 when referring to the beverage made from tea leaves, not the coffee made from coffee beans.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a steaming cup of tea (茶) in your hand. The character looks like a tree (木) with a mouth (口) beneath it, suggesting the leaves of the tea plant are harvested and brewed to create the drink we love.
Usage Notes
Be careful with tone; chá is pronounced with a rising tone, which is essential for meaning. Common collocations include 'green tea' (绿茶 lǜchá) and 'black tea' (红茶 hóngchá). In informal settings, you might hear it used casually, but in formal contexts, it may refer to tea ceremonies.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, 茶 connects to other basic vocabulary related to food and drink. Focus on pronunciation and recognizing it in common phrases, as it's frequently used in conversations about meals.
Cultural Note
Tea culture in China is rich and varied, with traditions such as Gongfu tea ceremonies that emphasize the art of tea brewing. Tea is often served to guests as a sign of hospitality.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 茶 (chá) with other similar-sounding words. For example, saying 'chā' (叉 - fork) instead of 'chá' can lead to misunderstandings. Always practice the correct tone to avoid these errors.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 茶
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 茶 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 茶 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 茶
茶 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Earl Grey, Darjeeling and Jasmine are best-selling traditional teas.
2
喝下午茶的时候，维多利亚与其夫君艾伯特亲王表演了二重唱。
hē xià wǔ chá de shí hòu， ， wéi duō lì yà yǔ qí fū jūn ài bó tè qīn wáng biǎo yǎn le èr zhòng。
At tea-time, Victoria sang duets with her Consort, Prince Albert.
3
我们这一系列的药草茶不含防腐剂、色素以及人工调味品。
wǒ mén zhè yī xì liè de yào cǎo chá bù hán fáng fǔ jì、 、 sè sù yǐ jí rén gōng tiáo wèi。
Our range of herbal teas contain no preservatives, colourings or artificial flavourings.
4
用贮藏的一罐炼乳为茶添加了甜味。
yòng zhù cáng de yī guàn liàn rǔ wéi chá tiān jiā le tián wèi。
The tea was sweetened with a hoarded tin of condensed milk.
5
他只求一杯清茶、片刻小憩。
tā zhī qiú yī bēi qīng chá、 、 piàn kè xiǎo。
All he wanted was a cup of tea and a sit-down.
6
他开始在画廊做扫地沏茶的工作。
tā kāi shǐ zài huà láng zuò sǎo dì qī chá de gōng zuò。
He started working for a gallery sweeping up and making the tea.
7
我喝了杯有股柴油味的茶。
wǒ hē le bēi yǒu gǔ chái yóu wèi de chá。
I drank a cup of tea that tasted of diesel.
8
煤火烧得正旺，上面的铁茶壶嘶嘶地响个不停。
méi huǒ shāo dé zhèng wàng， ， shàng miàn de tiě chá hú sī sī dì xiǎng gè bù。
The iron teakettle was hissing splendidly over live coals.
9
四五个男人在喝保温瓶里的茶水。
sì wǔ gè nán rén zài hē bǎo wēn píng lǐ de chá shuǐ。
Four or five men were drinking tea from flasks.
10
“要茶吗？”——“好的，谢谢。”
“ “ yào chá？”——“ ma ？”——“， hǎo de。”
"Tea?" — "Yes, please."
Cultural Notes for 茶
🏮Cultural insight
Tea culture in China is rich and varied, with traditions such as Gongfu tea ceremonies that emphasize the art of tea brewing. Tea is often served to guests as a sign of hospitality.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, tea is often seen as a casual beverage, while in China, it can symbolize respect, tradition, and social connection.
Word Family of 茶
Compounds3
搽cha2to wipe, to smear, to rub, to anoint
嗏
瑹
Words Containing This Character20
茶chátea
喝茶to drink tea
茶叶cháyètea茶葉
奶茶nǎichámilk tea
绿茶lǜchágreen tea綠茶
茶杯teacup
红茶hóngcháblack tea紅茶
茶几small side table
茶馆teahouse茶館
茶水tea prepared in large quantity using inexpensive tea leaves
茶壶teapot茶壺
茶会tea party茶會
泡茶to make tea
饮茶to have tea and refreshments飲茶
茶话会tea party茶話會
普洱茶Pu'er tea from the Pu'er region of Yunnan
茶具tea set
茶点tea and cake茶點
茶楼tearoom茶樓
花茶scented tea
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 搽 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 茶
Common types include 绿茶 (lǜchá - green tea), 红茶 (hóngchá - black tea), and 花茶 (huāchá - flower tea).
You can say '我要一杯茶' (wǒ yào yī bēi chá) which means 'I want a cup of tea.'
No, 茶 (chá) is the general term for tea, but you can add descriptors like 绿 (lǜ) for green and 红 (hóng) for black to specify.
