말차
malcha[ma̠ʎt͡ɕʰa̠]
Matcha in Korean is 말차 (malcha). Wiktionary also lists 가루차 (garucha).
Meaning: powdered green tea for ceremonies (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 말차 | malcha | [ma̠ʎt͡ɕʰa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 가루차 | garucha |
The term refers to the powdered green tea used specifically in tea ceremonies.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 가루차 is a compound of 가루 meaning powder and 차 meaning tea.
Which one should you use?
While 말차 specifically refers to the ceremonial-style powdered green tea, 가루차 is a more descriptive, general term for any powdered tea.
How do you pronounce it?
malcha
Did you know?
- Because 말차 is a Sino-Korean word, it shares the exact same Hanja characters with the Japanese word 'matcha'.
- In traditional Korean tea culture, 말차 is historically associated with the Buddhist clergy and the royal court rather than the general public.
- The character 말 (抹) in 말차 means 'to rub' or 'to spread', which describes the physical act of preparing the tea.
Examples in context
- 오늘은 말차 마실래?Do you want to drink matcha today?
- 말차를 마시고 싶어요.malcha-reul masigo sipeoyo.I want to drink matcha.
- 말차 라테 한 잔 주세요.malcha rate han jan juseyo.Please give me one matcha latte.
Example conversation
At a cafe, a woman asks a man for a recommendation.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨, 어떤 메뉴가 맛있어요?Hyeon-u ssi, eotteon menyuga masisseoyo?Hyun-woo, which menu item is delicious?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo말차가 아주 맛있어요.malcha-ga aju masisseoyo.The matcha is very delicious.
- 지은 Ji-eun그럼 말차 라테로 할게요.geureom malcha rate-ro halgeyo.Then I will have a matcha latte.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo좋은 선택이에요.joeun seontaek-ieyo.That is a good choice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “matcha” translations and entries 말차, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 말차, CC BY-SA 4.0.
