“Tea” in Chinese
Exploring Chinese Tea Culture and the Meaning of 茶 (chá)
chá
tea
Today, 茶 (chá) remains the most popular drink in China. Chinese tea culture.
Most Popular Chinese Tea
To start, let’s explore the two most popular types of Chinese tea: black tea and green tea!
01. Black Tea
红茶
hóngchá
black tea
Black tea is the most oxidized type of tea. Notice how it is literally called “Chinese red tea” in Chinese, due to the reddish color of the brew.
Here are some popular Chinese black teas you should explore:
贵州遵义 (Guìzhōu Zūnyì, Black tea from Guizhou province, known for its unique flavor and aroma.
祁门红茶 (Qímén hóngchá), Famous black tea from Anhui province, often referred to as one of the best black teas in China.
正山小种 (Zhèngshān Xiǎozhǒng), Black tea from Fujian province, also known as the classic Lapsang Souchong, famous for its smoky flavor.
02. Green Tea
lǜchá
green tea
Green tea is made from the same tea leaves and buds as black and oolong teas but is roasted quickly to avoid oxidation. For types of green tea the color character is 绿 (lǜ) – the color that represents nature and is used to describe the color of plants and trees as well as “green” or “eco” life.
Most popular Chinese green teas from different provinces:
碧螺春 (Bìluóchūn), green tea from Jiangsu province, near Lake Tai.
西湖龙井 (Xīhú Lóngjǐng), green tea from Zhejiang province , near Lake Xihu.
庐山云雾 (Lúshān Yúnwù), green tea from Jiangxi province.
Other Types of Chinese Tea
Explore other popular types of Chinese tea:
03. Oolong Tea
wūlóngchá
oolong tea
Oolong tea is a semi-oxidized type of Chinese tea. It is traditionally produced in Fujian province, namely in two regions: the Wuyi Mountains and Anxi County.
Discover these famous oolong teas from different regions in China:
铁观音 (Tiě Guānyīn), known as ‘Iron Goddess of Mercy,’ this oolong tea from Anxi County is one of the most famous varieties, with a rich floral flavor.
大红袍 (Dàhóngpáo), ‘Big Red Robe,’ this oolong tea from the Wuyi Mountains is highly prized for its complex, roasted flavor.
武夷岩茶 (Wǔyí Yánchá), Another oolong tea from the Wuyi Mountains, known for its mineral-rich, smoky notes and distinctive taste.
04. Pu’er Tea
pǔ’ěrchá
pu’er tea
Pu’er tea is a fermented Chinese tea that stands out from other teas due to its process.
Unlike the teas mentioned earlier, pu’er is a variety of fermented tea. Its name comes from the ancient tea-trading town of Pu’er (普洱 Pǔ’ěr). It is traditionally produced in Yunnan Province.
Mind that there are 2 types of pu’er – the traditional, long-aged type called “raw tea” (生茶 shēng chá), and the modern type produced via accelerated fermentation called “ripe tea” (熟茶 shóu chá).
Some popular Pu’er tea brands from Yunnan province:
大益普洱茶 (Dàyì Pǔ’ěrchá), A well-known brand of pu’er tea from Yunnan province, especially prized for its aged raw tea.
下关沱茶 (Xiàguān Tuóchá), A famous brand of pressed pu’er tea from Yunnan, known for rich history.
澜沧古茶 (Láncāng Gǔchá), This pu’er tea brand from Yunnan is respected full-bodied taste.
05. White Tea
báichá
white tea
White tea is made from the buds and immature tea leaves picked shortly before the buds have fully opened. It’s also not oxidized, so its flavor is very ‘light’ compared to other types of tea.
白牡丹 (Bái Mǔdān), White Peony: This white tea is a traditional variety from Fujian province.
白毫银针 (Báiháo Yínzhēn), Silver Needle: Another famous white tea from Fujian, this one is made entirely from young buds, giving it a light, sweet flavor with a smooth finish.
6. Yellow Tea
huángchá
yellow tea
Yellow tea is similar to green tea, as both are lightly oxidized. However, there is one more step added to the process which makes yellow tea rarer and more expensive, called “sealed yellowing”. This step involves light fermentation, and thanks to it the tea gets its yellow color and a mellow taste.
霍山黄芽 (Huòshān Huángyá), yellow tea from Anhui province.
君山银针 (Jūnshān Yínzhēn), yellow tea from Hunan province.
蒙顶黄芽 (Mēngdǐng Huángyá), yellow tea from Sichuan province.
Modern Tea in China
The traditional tea culture (中国茶文化, zhōngguó chá wénhuà) with tea houses (茶馆, cháguǎn) and the tea ceremony (茶艺, cháyì) is still present in modern China. However, if you mention getting “some tea” with your Chinese friends or colleagues, they will probably think about milk tea (奶茶, nǎichá) or bubble tea (珍珠奶茶, zhēnzhū nǎichá)!
07. Milk / Bubble Tea
nǎichá
milk tea
zhēnzhū nǎichá
bubble tea / boba
There are so many brands and flavors of milk tea these days, that it would be difficult to pick just a few to recommend. You can start by choosing your favourite tea base (black, green, oolong, barley, herbal, etc), then choose milk (regular, soy, ‘thick’, etc), and finally pick some extra ingredients (tapioca balls, taro powder, coconut jelly, oats, and so on).
鸳鸯奶茶 (Yuānyāng nǎichá, Yuanyang tea – Hong Kong-style drink, sweet black tea + milk + brewed coffee);
蒙古奶茶 (Měnggǔ nǎichá, Suutei tsai – Mongolian milk tea made with toasted millet and green tea)
Your Turn
Now that we’ve shared so many types and names of Chinese tea, it’s your turn!
What did we miss?
And what’s your favourite Chinese tea?
Share in comments 🍵
