HSK 4 · Upper-Intermediate stories

中国茶文化 · Chinese Tea Culture

Zhōngguó Chá Wénhuà — Why drinking tea is more than drinking tea.

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Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.

中国Zhōngguóshìcháde故乡gùxiāng之一,zhī yī饮茶yǐnchá已有yǐ yǒu几千jǐqiānniánde历史。lìshǐ

China is one of the homelands of tea, and tea-drinking has thousands of years of history.

cháde种类zhǒnglèi很多,hěn duōyǒu绿茶、lǜchá乌龙茶、wūlóng chá普洱、pǔ'ěr白茶báichá等等。děngděng

There are many varieties of tea — green tea, oolong, pu'er, white tea, and so on.

不同bùtóngdechá需要xūyào不同bùtóngde泡法pàofǎ水温。shuǐwēn

Different teas need different brewing methods and water temperatures.

zài中国Zhōngguó南方,nánfāng喝茶hēchá还是háishi一种yì zhǒng社交shèjiāo方式。fāngshì

In southern China, tea-drinking is also a way to socialize.

朋友péngyouzài茶馆cháguǎn见面,jiànmiànbiān喝茶hēchábiān聊天,liáotiān可以kěyǐ度过dùguò整个zhěnggè下午。xiàwǔ

Friends meet in a teahouse, sip tea, and chat — it can pass an entire afternoon.

茶道chádào讲究jiǎngjiu"和、敬、jìng清、qīng寂"。

The tea ceremony emphasizes "harmony, respect, purity, tranquility."

不仅是bùjǐn shì一种yì zhǒng饮料,yǐnliào也是yě shì一种yì zhǒng生活shēnghuó态度。tàidu

It's not just a drink — it's also a way of life.

中国人Zhōngguó rén喝茶hē chá讲究jiǎngjiu"看、kàn闻、wén品"pǐn三步。sān bù

Chinese tea drinking observes three steps: look, smell, taste.

xiānkàn茶叶cháyède颜色yánsè形状。xíngzhuàng

First look at the color and shape of the leaves.

zàiwén它的tā de香气。xiāngqì

Then smell its fragrance.

最后zuìhòu小口地xiǎo kǒu de喝,ràngcházài嘴里zuǐ lǐtíng一会儿。yíhuìr

Finally sip it slowly, letting the tea rest a moment in your mouth.

好茶hǎo chá喝完hē wán以后,yǐhòu嘴里zuǐ lǐhuìyǒu回甘。huígān

After good tea, a sweetness comes back into the mouth.

sòngchágěi长辈zhǎngbèishìhěn常见chángjiànde礼物。lǐwù

Giving tea to an elder is a very common gift.

不过búguò送礼sòng lǐ的时候de shíhouyào注意,zhùyì不能bù néngsòngtài便宜piányide茶。chá

But take care when giving it — you cannot give tea that is too cheap.

zài很多hěn duō家庭里,jiātíng lǐpào一壶yì húchá就是jiùshì欢迎huānyíng客人kèrénde方式。fāngshì

In many homes, brewing a pot of tea is simply how a guest is welcomed.

Vocabulary in this story (96 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
中国ZhōngguóChina
shìis
chátea
de(of)
故乡gùxiānghomeland
之一zhī yīone of
饮茶yǐnchátea drinking
已有yǐ yǒuhas had
几千jǐqiānseveral thousand
niányears
历史lìshǐhistory
种类zhǒnglèivarieties
很多hěn duōare many
yǒuthere are
绿茶lǜchágreen tea
乌龙茶wūlóng cháoolong tea
普洱pǔ'ěrpu'er
白茶báicháwhite tea
等等děngděngand so on
不同bùtóngdifferent
需要xūyàoneed
泡法pàofǎbrewing methods
and
水温shuǐwēnwater temperatures
zàiin
南方nánfāngsouth
喝茶hēchádrinking tea
还是háishiis also
一种yì zhǒnga kind of
社交shèjiāosocial
方式fāngshìway
朋友péngyoufriends
茶馆cháguǎnteahouse
in
见面jiànmiànmeet
biānwhile
聊天liáotiānchatting
可以kěyǐcan
度过dùguòpass
整个zhěnggèthe whole
下午xiàwǔafternoon
茶道chádàothe tea ceremony
讲究jiǎngjiuemphasizes
jìngrespect
qīngpurity
tranquility
it
不仅是bùjǐn shìis not only
饮料yǐnliàobeverage
也是yě shìis also
生活shēnghuólife
态度tàiduattitude
中国人Zhōngguó rénChinese people
kànlook
wénsmell
pǐntaste
三步sān bùthree steps
xiānfirst
茶叶cháyèthe tea leaves'
颜色yánsècolor
形状xíngzhuàngshape
zàithen
它的tā deits
香气xiāngqìfragrance
最后zuìhòufinally
小口地xiǎo kǒu dein small sips
drink
ràngletting
嘴里zuǐ lǐyour mouth
tíngrest
一会儿yíhuìra moment
好茶hǎo chágood tea
喝完hē wánfinished drinking
以后yǐhòuafter
huìwill
回甘huígāna returning sweetness
sònggiving
gěito
长辈zhǎngbèian elder
hěnvery
常见chángjiàncommon
礼物lǐwùa gift
不过búguòbut
送礼sòng lǐgiving a gift
的时候de shíhouwhen
yàoone must
注意zhùyìtake care
不能bù néngone cannot
tàitoo
便宜piányicheap
家庭里jiātíng lǐhomes
pàobrewing
一壶yì húa pot of
就是jiùshìis simply
欢迎huānyíngwelcoming
客人kèréna guest

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