Tea Glossary: 20 Common Terms Every New Tea Lover Should Know

Tea culture is vast and profound, and teaware, as an indispensable medium for tea tasting, is crucial for understanding its terminology. For budding tea lovers, mastering common teaware terminology not only provides guidance when choosing teaware but also helps them better understand the ins and outs of brewing and tasting tea, helping them quickly integrate into the tea community. Below, we introduce 20 essential teaware terms.

1. The “True Nature” of Teaware: Terminology

1. Tea cup

A teacup is a "private nest" for holding tea. It's made of a variety of materials, including porcelain, ceramic, and glass. Porcelain teacups have a delicate texture, showcasing the tea's color. Ceramic teacups, such as purple clay teacups, are breathable and absorb the tea's aroma. Glass teacups are translucent and crystal clear, allowing for easy viewing of the tea's shape. The shape of the teacup also influences the tea-sipping experience: shallow cups are suitable for light teas, while deep cups are more suited to richer ones.

2. Tea tray

The tea tray is the "big stage" for tea sets, primarily used to place the tea set and catch any spilled tea during brewing. Common materials for tea trays include wood, bamboo, and stone. Wooden trays offer beautiful grain and a warm feel, but they must be protected from moisture. Bamboo trays are lightweight, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective, but they are less durable. Stone trays are sturdy, durable, and waterproof, but they are heavier and less convenient to move.

3. Teapot

Teapots are the nurturers of tea's fragrance, and they come in a wide variety. Zisha teapots are breathable, retaining the aroma and flavor of tea leaves. The longer they are used, the warmer they become, and the richer the tea's aroma becomes. Porcelain teapots are elegant and absorb no odors, making them suitable for brewing a variety of teas. Glass teapots are light-transmitting, allowing for easy observation of the tea leaves' expansion, making them ideal for brewing green tea, white tea, and more.

4. Teacup

A teacup is a small window for savoring tea and can be divided into two types: a tasting cup and a scenting cup. A tasting cup is primarily used for drinking tea, and its compact shape allows the tea to diffuse better in the mouth, enhancing the taste. A scenting cup, on the other hand, is used to inhale the tea's aroma. It's often paired with a tasting cup, and its taller body helps concentrate the aroma.

5. Tea Sea

A teapot, also known as a fairness cup, is the "messenger of fairness" for tea. When brewing tea, the brewed tea is first poured into the teapot, then distributed from the teapot to each teacup. This ensures a uniform concentration in each cup, preventing variations in taste due to different pouring order. Common materials for teapots include glass, porcelain, and purple clay.

6. Tea Lotus

A tea stand is a display stand for tea leaves, primarily used to showcase their appearance, color, and aroma, allowing people to appreciate their quality. It can also be used to measure tea leaves. Made of bamboo, wood, porcelain, or glass, it boasts an exquisite design, combining practicality with aesthetic appeal.

7. Tea

The tea scoop is a precise assistant for measuring tea leaves from a tea can. Made of a variety of materials, including bamboo, wood, copper, and porcelain, and often rectangular or oval in shape, it ensures accurate tea quantity and prevents direct contact with the tea leaves, which could affect their quality.

8. Teaspoon

A teaspoon is a gentle transporter of tea leaves, primarily used to transfer tea leaves from a teapot or gaiwan. Its small, rounded head allows for gentle movement of the leaves, preventing them from breaking. Common materials include bamboo, wood, and silver.

9. Tea Needle

A tea needle is a small, unblocked tool. When the spout of a teapot or covered bowl is clogged with tea leaves, gently unblocking it with a tea needle ensures a smooth flow of tea. Made of metal, bamboo, or wood, the needle tip is sharp but not prone to damaging teaware.

10. Tea Clip

Tea clips are a great cleaning aid for tea sets. They're used to pick up teacups, bowls, and other teaware for cleaning or wiping, preventing direct contact with the inside of the set and ensuring hygiene. They also prevent burns when washing tea sets. They're usually made of metal or bamboo.

2. Tea-making Action Terminology

11. Warm cup

Warming the cups is a warm-up exercise for your tea set. Before brewing tea, rinsing teacups, teapots, and other tea sets with hot water not only removes dust and odors from the surface, but also raises the temperature of the tea set. This prevents the aroma and taste of the tea from being affected by the cold temperature of the tea set when pouring the tea, allowing the tea flavor to be better released.

12. Wake up tea

Awakening tea is a ritual that awakens the tea leaves. For compressed teas like Pu'er and dark tea, or teas that have been stored for a long time, awakening the leaves allows them to come into contact with air, awakening their dormant aroma and flavor. This is usually done by placing the leaves in a teapot and gently stirring them to allow them to fully air out, or by quickly pouring a small amount of hot water, then discarding it, before continuing with the main brewing process.

13. Add tea

Pour the tea into the water. After determining the appropriate amount of tea based on the type, quality, and personal taste of the tea, the tea leaves are placed into the teapot or covered bowl. There are three methods for pouring tea: top pour, middle pour, and bottom pour. The top pour method is suitable for delicate green teas: pour water first, then tea leaves. The middle pour method is suitable for medium-tender green teas: fill halfway with water, then add tea leaves, then fill the pot with water. The bottom pour method is suitable for oolong teas, Pu'er teas, etc.: pour tea leaves first, then water.

14. Water injection

Pouring water is the "prelude" to tea, and the method of pouring directly affects the taste and aroma of the tea. High-pour pouring, where water falls from a height, can invigorate the tea leaves' aroma, but care should be taken to control the force to avoid splashing. Low-pour pouring, where water is poured slowly and close to the edge of the teaware, can reduce tumbling and create a softer tea. Circular pouring, where water is poured evenly along the inner wall of the teaware, ensures that the tea leaves are fully exposed to the water and maintains a uniform concentration of the tea.

15. Steep

Steeping deeply enhances the tea's aroma. For harder, more complex teas, such as Pu'er and white tea, proper steeping allows the tea's active ingredients to fully release, increasing the tea's concentration and aroma. Steeping time should be adjusted based on the type of tea and personal taste. Too long can lead to a bitter tea, while too short can lack flavor.

16. Serving the soup

The pouring process is the tea's "spectacular debut." Brewed tea must be poured promptly, with the speed, angle, and timing crucial. Pour too quickly, and the tea will be weak; too slowly, and it may be too strong. When pouring, tilt the teapot or covered bowl at a steady angle to ensure a steady flow. Also, ensure that the tea is fully poured to prevent prolonged steeping of the tea leaves, which could affect the taste of subsequent brews.

3. Tea Appreciation Terminology

17. Aftertaste

Aftertaste is the sweet aftertaste of tea. It refers to the initial bitter or bland sensation in the mouth, followed by a gradual sweetness. The intensity and persistence of this aftertaste are important indicators of tea quality. High-quality teas typically have a pronounced and long-lasting aftertaste, providing a pleasant taste experience.

18. Promotes salivation

Saliva production is like the "flowing spring" of fresh air in the mouth. After drinking tea, saliva is secreted from the lining of the mouth and the surface of the tongue, leaving the mouth feeling moist and refreshed. This process not only relieves dryness but also enhances the perception of the tea's flavor. Teas that effectively promote saliva production are often of higher quality.

19. Rich

"Full-bodied" tea refers to the "richness" of a tea soup, describing its full, rich flavor. Upon sipping, one can sense the richness of the tea's inherent properties, such as tea polyphenols and amino acids. A full-bodied tea is rich in flavor without being bitter, leaving a lingering aftertaste. This is often found in high-quality oolong teas, such as Pu'er teas.

20. Chen Yun

Aged flavor, the "fragrant gift of tea" gleaned from time, primarily appears in teas that have been stored for a long time, such as aged Pu'er and aged white tea. Over time, the components of the tea slowly transform, forming a unique aroma and flavor. Aged flavor is mellow, steady, and carries the traces of time, which is the unique charm of aged tea.

Mastering these 20 common teaware terms is like holding the key to unlocking the world of tea culture. We hope that budding tea lovers will flexibly apply these terms in practice, continuously exploring tea brewing and tasting techniques, experiencing the unique charm of tea culture, and gaining more joy and growth in the world of tea.