茶道
sadō[sa̠do̞ː]
The English phrase 'tea ceremony' is translated into Japanese as 茶道 (sadō). Wiktionary also lists 茶の儀式 (cha no gishiki) and 茶の湯 (chanoyu).
Meaning: detailed ritual in Japan or Asia for preparing, serving and drinking tea (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 茶道 | sadō | [sa̠do̞ː] (narrow) [t͡ɕa̠do̞ː] (narrow) |
| 茶の儀式 | cha no gishiki | |
| 茶の湯 | chanoyu | [t͡ɕa̠no̞jɯ̟] (narrow) |
| お茶 | ocha | [o̞t͡ɕa̠] (narrow) |
The term refers to the detailed ritual used in Japan or Asia for preparing, serving and drinking tea.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 茶道 (sadō) is composed of 茶 (tea) and 道 (way/path/discipline).
Which one should you use?
茶道 (sadō) is the most common term used when discussing the cultural practice or studying the art of tea. Use 茶道 (sadō) when referring to the formal art or discipline of tea ceremony. In contrast, 茶の湯 (chanoyu) is used to refer more specifically to the actual practice or the act of preparing and drinking tea. While 茶の儀式 (cha no gishiki) is a literal description of a 'tea ritual', it is not the standard term used for the traditional Japanese art form.
How do you pronounce it?
sadō
Did you know?
- In a formal 茶の湯 (chanoyu) setting, guests often crawl through a tiny door called a にじりぐち (nijiriguchi). This forced humility ensured that even samurai had to leave their swords outside and bow low to enter.
- The aesthetics of 茶道 (sadō) often follow わびさび (wabi-sabi), which finds beauty in imperfection and age. This is why a cracked tea bowl repaired with gold lacquer is often more prized than a brand new one.
- A key concept of 茶道 (sadō) is 一期一会 (ichi-go ichi-e), which translates to 'one time, one meeting'. It reminds both the host and guest that every single tea gathering is a unique moment that can never be repeated.
Examples in context
- 私は茶道にも華道にも興味はありません。I'm not interested in tea ceremony or flower arranging.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of interest in the discipline of 茶道.Tatoeba #155106 by small_snow, translation #10548303 by CK
- エミリーは茶道と華道にすごく興味を持ってるんだ。Emily is very interested in tea ceremony and flower arrangement.This sentence is useful for describing someone's interest in the discipline of 茶道.Tatoeba #9928416 by small_snow, translation #65279 by CN
- 抹茶は茶道でよく使用されている。Matcha is frequently used in the tea ceremony.This sentence is useful for noting the use of matcha within the discipline of 茶道.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are talking about their weekend hobbies at a cafe.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんは、茶道をやっているんですか？Himari-san wa, sadō o yatte iru n desu ka?Himari, do you practice the tea ceremony?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、週末に稽古に通っています。Hai, shūmatsu ni keiko ni kayotte imasu.Yes, I attend practice sessions on weekends.
- 蓮 Renそれはとても素敵ですね。Sore wa totemo suteki desu ne.That is very lovely.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さんも、今度一緒にどうですか？Ren-san mo, kondo issho ni dō desu ka?Ren, why don't you join me sometime?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tea ceremony” translations and entries 茶道, 茶の湯, お茶, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
