Readings: チャ, サ (Onyomi), (Kunyomi)
Meaning: Tea
The kanji 茶 is a pictographic character representing a tea plant with leaves and branches. It has evolved from ancient Chinese characters depicting the processing of tea leaves.
View JLPT N4 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 茶 has 9 strokes. Start with the grass radical (艸) at the top, followed by the middle horizontal stroke, then the box-like structure, and finally the bottom strokes.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 艸 (くさかんむり) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 9 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
| Grade | 2 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- チャ (cha)
- サ (sa)
Common Words Using 茶
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お茶 | おちゃ | Tea (polite) |
| 喫茶店 | きっさてん | Coffee shop / Tea room |
| 日本茶 | にほんちゃ | Japanese tea |
| 紅茶 | こうちゃ | Black tea |
| 緑茶 | りょくちゃ | Green tea |
| 茶色 | ちゃいろ | Brown (tea color) |
| お茶碗 | おちゃわん | Teacup/Rice bowl |
| 茶道 | さどう | Tea ceremony |
| 抹茶 | まっちゃ | Matcha green tea |
| 煎茶 | せんちゃ | Sencha green tea |
Example Sentences
Japanese: お茶を飲みます。
Kana: おちゃをのみます。
Romaji: Ocha o nomimasu.
English: I drink tea.
Japanese: 喫茶店に行きましょう。
Kana: きっさてんにいきましょう。
Romaji: Kissaten ni ikimashou.
English: Let’s go to a coffee shop.
Japanese: これは日本茶です。
Kana: これはにほんちゃです。
Romaji: Kore wa nihoncha desu.
English: This is Japanese tea.
Japanese: 紅茶が好きですか。
Kana: こうちゃがすきですか。
Romaji: Koucha ga suki desu ka?
English: Do you like black tea?
Japanese: 毎日、緑茶を飲みます。
Kana: まいにち、りょくちゃをのみます。
Romaji: Mainichi, ryokucha o nomimasu.
English: I drink green tea every day.
Japanese: 彼の車の色は茶色です。
Kana: かれのくるまのいろはちゃいろです。
Romaji: Kare no kuruma no iro wa chairo desu.
English: The color of his car is brown.
Japanese: 新しいお茶碗を買いました。
Kana: あたらしいおちゃわんをかいました。
Romaji: Atarashii ochawan o kaimashita.
English: I bought a new teacup.
Japanese: 茶道は日本の伝統文化です。
Kana: さどうはにほんのでんとうぶんかです。
Romaji: Sadou wa Nihon no dentou bunka desu.
English: The tea ceremony is a traditional Japanese culture.
Japanese: 抹茶は少し苦いです。
Kana: まっちゃはすこしにがいです。
Romaji: Maccha wa sukoshi nigai desu.
English: Matcha is a little bitter.
Japanese: 冷たいお茶をください。
Kana: つめたいおちゃをください。
Romaji: Tsumetai ocha o kudasai.
English: Please give me cold tea.
Related Grammar & kanji list
Expand your study with grammar and kanji lists for other JLPT levels:
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.