品茶 (pǐn chá) — to sample tea (savoring its flavor and aroma); to engage in tea tasting (as a cultural practice)

Definition

品茶 is the leisurely, mindful practice of savoring tea — its aroma, flavor, and texture — not just drinking it. Distinct from 喝茶 (everyday 'drink tea'): 品 emphasizes slow, appreciative tasting, often as a cultural or aesthetic activity.

verb
to sample tea (savoring its flavor and aroma)to engage in tea tasting (as a cultural practice)

Examples

  • 品茶。
    Tā xǐ huan yí gè rén jìng jìng de pǐn chá.
    He likes to taste tea quietly by himself.
  • ，。
    Zuó tiān wǒ men pǐn le sān cì chá, měi cì dōu bù tóng.
    Yesterday we tasted tea three times, each time different.
  • 品茶。
    Zhè wèi lǎo shī fu pǐn chá de jīng yàn fēi cháng fēng fù.
    This master has very rich experience in tea tasting.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

品pǐnsavor
茶chátea

品茶 joins 品 (to savor) and 茶 (tea), meaning to taste and appreciate tea.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

品 repeats the same simple shape three times, representing various objects.

Open 品 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú茶chá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 茶, the 艹 part marks a plant, and the 余 part gives the sound.

Open 茶 →

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