茶碗 (chá wǎn) — tea bowl (small bowl used for drinking tea, typically without a handle)

Definition

A small, handleless bowl for drinking tea, central to the Japanese-influenced tea ceremony (茶道) rather than everyday modern use. In casual modern Chinese for a handled teacup, 茶杯 is more common.

noun
tea bowl (small bowl used for drinking tea, typically without a handle)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 茶碗。
    Tā yòng chá wǎn hē lǜ chá.
    He drinks green tea with a tea bowl.
  • 茶碗。
    Zhè tào chá wǎn shì péng you sòng de lǐ wù.
    This set of tea bowls is a gift from a friend.
  • ，茶碗。
    Zài chá dào zhōng, chá wǎn de shǐ yòng hěn yǒu jiǎng jiu.
    In the tea ceremony, the use of tea bowls is very particular.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

茶chátea
碗wǎnbowl

A small bowl used for drinking tea.

Characters in this word

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 →

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
宛
宛wǎn碗wǎn
Same sound today

碗 combines 石 (stone) with 宛. The 石 part relates to the meaning, and 宛 gives the sound.

Open 碗 →

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