茶 chá

HSK 1 Writing L2

A bitter herb or leafy plant brewed as a medicinal drink.

Tea, tea leaves, tea plant, or any herbal infusion. Grass (艹) over a person (人) picking leaves from a woody bush or tree (木).

Common Usage & Traps

  • 喝茶 (hē chá) — drink tea
  • 一杯茶 (yì bēi chá) — a cup of tea
  • 热茶 (rè chá) — hot tea
  • 茶水 (chá shuǐ) — tea (drink)
  • 吃茶 喝茶

    In modern Mandarin, you drink tea with 喝, not eat it with 吃.

  • 茶一杯 一杯茶

    The measure word 杯 comes before 茶 when counting cups: 一杯茶.

Why do we say 喝茶 instead of 吃茶?

In modern Mandarin, 喝茶 is the natural way to say drink tea.

吃 means eat, and 喝 means drink. Tea is a drink, so we use 喝. 吃茶 is old-fashioned or dialectal and sounds strange in everyday speech.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Verb喝 (drink)吃 (eat)
Example喝茶吃茶
Meaningdrink teaeat tea (unnatural)

Is 茶 the same as 草?

No, 茶 is tea, and 草 is grass.

Both have the grass radical 艹, but 茶 is a drink made from leaves, while 草 means grass or weed. They are different characters and should not be confused.
Dimension茶草
Meaningteagrass
Pinyinchácǎo
Example喝茶草地

Appears in Stories 8 stories

《这还是茶馆儿吗?》 Teahouse or Cinema?
HSK 3 ~3 min read 325 chars
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Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.

  • 前天有个朋友告诉我,要想了解老北京的文化,应该去老 茶馆 喝一次" 大碗儿茶 "。

  • 我问一个老北京哪个 茶馆 儿最好。

  • 他说,现在喜欢去 茶馆 喝 茶 的老北京不很多了。

  • 因为他们不喜欢现在的 茶馆 。

  • 很多老北京以前是有去 茶馆儿 喝 茶 的习惯的。

  • 老北京们去 茶馆 ,就是因为想喝 茶 ,也为了跟朋友说说话什么的。

  • 可现在的 茶馆 虽然还是可以喝 茶 ,但是去那儿的人大多不是老北京。

  • 他们去那儿不是为了喝 茶 ,是为了玩儿。

  • 北京有一个有名的老 茶馆 儿,叫“ 老舍茶馆 ”。

  • 游客想去喝 茶 ,还要买门票。

  • 因为在那儿可以一边喝 茶 ,一边看表演,看唱歌、跳舞什么的。

  • 喝 茶 还要买票?

  • 这还是 茶馆儿 吗?

《七号桌的客人》 The Guest at Table Seven
HSK 1 ~5 min read 396 chars
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This heartwarming story reveals the quiet devotion of a father. As you read, notice the repeated actions and how a simple cup of tea becomes meaningful.

  • 老先生天天来,买一杯 热茶 。

  • 老先生不喝 茶 ,也不吃东西。

  • 茶 不热了,老先生回家。

  • 大中想:“老先生天天来, 茶 不热了也不喝,他天天在看什么呢?”

  • 大中听了,看那杯不热的 茶 ,觉得老先生很好。

  • 大中很高兴,做了一杯 热茶 ,给老先生喝。

  • 今天, 热茶 做好了,请您喝。”

  • 老先生坐在七号桌子前,喝了第一口 热茶 。

  • 今天, 茶 是热的。

《米老师的一天》 A Doctor's Daily Routine
HSK 1 ~3 min read 216 chars
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Meet Dr. Mi, a doctor and teacher at Sichuan University. This simple HSK 1 story shows his daily routine from morning to night, helping you learn time expressions and everyday activities.

  • 他喜欢喝 茶 ,也喜欢喝咖啡。

  • 吃了晚饭后,他会喝一杯 普洱茶 。

  • 他也有一个大杯子,是一个 茶杯 。

《你也在想我吗》 Do You Miss Me Too?
HSK 1 ~2 min read 128 chars
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This short, soothing piece is about missing someone on a rainy night. The sentences are simple and repeat often, so you can practice reading while feeling the warm emotion.

  • 我坐在桌前,在喝一杯 茶 ,一杯热热的 茶 。

  • 你有热 茶 喝吗?

《一到十二月》 Twelve Months of Love
HSK 1 ~2 min read 108 chars
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Welcome! This short poem helps you practice the months, weekdays, and mealtimes in Chinese. Read it aloud and notice the rhythm. You already know many of these words!

  • 早上吃早饭,上午喝 早茶 ,中午吃午饭。

  • 下午下午 茶 ,晚上吃晚饭。

《饥饿的深意》 The Hidden Meaning of Hunger
HSK 7 ~11 min read 1243 chars
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Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.

  • 他没接话,端起 茶杯 喝了一口。

《一家人》 Our Family Day
HSK 1 ~1 min read 47 chars
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This simple story introduces you to a family and what each member likes to do. Learn helpful words for food and daily activities as you read about Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, and the kids.

  • 爸爸喝 热茶 妈妈吃冷菜。

《谢谢您请》 The Day 'Please' Stayed Home
HSK 1 ~2 min read 132 chars
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Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.

  • 这边请,请进请坐请 喝茶 ;

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