抹茶
mǒchá
The Chinese word for matcha is 抹茶 (mǒchá).
抹茶 is a noun used to describe the powdered green tea typically used in ceremonial preparations.
Meaning: powdered green tea for ceremonies (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 抹茶 literally translates to 'rubbed tea', which refers to the process of grinding the tea leaves into a fine powder.
How do you pronounce it?
mǒchá
Did you know?
- While 'matcha' is globally famous today, the Chinese term 抹茶 is actually an adaptation of the Japanese pronunciation of the same characters. In classical Chinese, the term was historically written as 末茶, which used a different character for 'powdered'.
- Chinese tea culture historically shifted away from powdered teas toward steeped leaf teas, meaning 抹茶 describes a style that was once common but later became an exotic specialty.
- In high-end Chinese tea circles, using the term 抹茶 might actually sound slightly 'unprofessional' compared to discussing 'leaf tea'. This is because the powder is often seen as a processed product rather than a pure, whole-leaf experience.
Examples in context
- 我昨天喝了一杯抹茶。Yesterday, I drank a cup of matcha.
- 你喜欢抹茶甜点吗？Do you like matcha desserts?
- 这杯抹茶的味道很浓。Zhè bēi matcha de wèidào hěn nóng.This cup of matcha has a strong flavor.
- 抹茶是非常受欢迎的饮品。Matcha shì fēicháng shòu huānyíng de yǐnpǐn.Matcha is a very popular drink.
Example conversation
Two friends are at a cafe looking at the menu.
- 雨婷 Yuting俊杰，你想喝什么？Jùnjié, nǐ xiǎng hē shénme?Junjie, what do you want to drink?
- 俊杰 Junjie我想试试这里的抹茶。Wǒ xiǎng shìshì zhèlǐ de mǒchá.I want to try the matcha here.
- 雨婷 Yuting我也点一杯抹茶吧。Wǒ yě diǎn yì bēi mǒchá ba.I'll order a matcha too.
- 俊杰 Junjie好的，我们一起点餐。Hǎo de, wǒmen yìqǐ diǎn cān.Okay, let's order together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “matcha” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 抹茶, CC BY-SA 4.0.
