Glossary
Tea Glossary
Tea Types & Processing
Anji Bai Cha: A rare white tea from Anji, China, known for its pale, delicate leaves and sweet, subtle flavor.
Bai Hao Yin Zhen: Also known as Silver Needle, this white tea consists purely of unopened buds covered in silvery down.
Bancha: A Japanese green tea made from mature leaves, harvested after sencha season.
Bi Luo Chun: A renowned Chinese green tea known for its tight spiral shape and fruity aroma.
CTC (Cut, Tear, Curl): A method of processing black tea where leaves are passed through rotating cylinders with hundreds of sharp teeth.
Dan Cong: Single bush oolong tea from Phoenix Mountain, known for intense floral and fruit notes.
Dragonwell (Long Jing): Premium Chinese green tea with distinctive flat, sword-shaped leaves.
Fermentation: In tea processing, this refers to oxidation rather than true fermentation. The process that turns leaves darker and develops complex flavors.
Gongfu: Traditional Chinese tea preparation method emphasizing multiple short steepings of whole leaf tea.
Gyokuro: Shaded Japanese green tea of the highest grade, producing sweet, umami-rich flavor.
Hojicha: Japanese green tea roasted over charcoal, resulting in a nutty, low-caffeine tea.
Orthodox Processing: Traditional method of tea processing where leaves remain largely whole, unlike CTC processing.
Pu-erh: Fermented tea from Yunnan, China, available in raw (sheng) or ripe (shou) varieties.
Sencha: Traditional Japanese green tea, typically steamed to prevent oxidation.
Tie Guan Yin: Famous Chinese oolong tea known for its intense floral aroma and rich flavor.
Flavor & Tasting Terms
Astringency: The drying, puckering sensation in the mouth caused by tannins in tea.
Body: The weight and fullness of tea in the mouth - can be light, medium, or full.
Bouquet: The complete aroma profile of a tea, including top, middle, and base notes.
Brisk: A clean, refreshing quality in tea, often with some astringency.
Chesty: Term for teas that have absorbed unwanted aromas during storage.
Clean: A flavor free from any off-notes or undesirable characteristics.
Complex: Having multiple layers of flavor that reveal themselves throughout the tasting.
Finish: The taste and sensation that remains after swallowing the tea.
Floral: Taste or aroma reminiscent of flowers, common in oolongs and some black teas.
Grassy: Fresh, vegetative flavor common in green teas.
Malty: A rich, full flavor reminiscent of grain, common in Assam teas.
Muscatel: A grape-like flavor characteristic particularly prized in Darjeeling teas.
Phenolic: Compounds that contribute to tea's astringency and complexity.
Smooth: Lacking astringency or bitterness, with a pleasant mouthfeel.
Umami: Savory, broth-like flavor particularly present in gyokuro and other shaded teas.
Quality & Grading
Agony of the Leaves: The unfurling of whole tea leaves during steeping.
Bloom: The appearance and aroma of dry tea leaves when first steeped.
BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe): Grade of tea consisting of broken leaves, smaller than OP.
FTGFOP: Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - a high-grade designation for whole leaf black teas.
FTGFOP1: An even higher grade than FTGFOP, with more tip content.
Fannings: Very small pieces of tea leaves, often used in tea bags.
Golden Tip: Young tea buds with a golden color, indicating high quality in certain black teas.
Dust: The smallest grade of tea particles, typically used in tea bags.
Orange Pekoe (OP): A grade of whole leaf black tea, not a flavor or type of tea.
SFTGFOP: Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - highest grade of Orthodox tea.
Tippy: Containing a high proportion of leaf tips or buds, indicating quality.
Preparation Terms
Chasen: Bamboo whisk used in preparing matcha tea.
Chawan: Traditional tea bowl used in Japanese tea ceremony.
Cold Brew: Steeping tea in cold water for an extended period (usually 8-12 hours).
Decanting: Transferring brewed tea from steeping vessel to serving vessel.
Gaiwan: Traditional Chinese lidded bowl used for steeping tea.
Gongfu Cha: Chinese tea ceremony emphasizing multiple brief steepings.
Grandpa Style: Informal brewing method where leaves are left in the cup while drinking.
Kyusu: Japanese teapot, typically with side handle, designed for brewing green teas.
Liquor: The brewed tea liquid.
Pitcher: Server used to ensure even brewing strength when serving multiple cups.
Rinse: A brief first steeping (15-30 seconds) that is discarded, used to "awaken" the tea leaves.
Tea Sink/Boat: Slatted tray used to catch spilled water during tea preparation.
Tetsubin: Japanese cast iron kettle used for heating water.
Yixing: Purple clay teapots from Yixing, China, prized for brewing oolong and pu-erh.
Growing & Production
Altitude: Height above sea level where tea is grown, affecting growth rate and flavor.
Autumnal: Teas harvested in autumn, particularly relevant for Darjeeling teas.
Clonal: Tea plants propagated from cuttings rather than seeds, ensuring consistency.
Elevation: The altitude at which tea is grown, affecting growth rate and flavor development.
First Flush: First harvest of the year, typically in spring, producing the most prized teas.
Flush: A harvest period for tea, such as first flush (spring) or second flush (summer).
Mao Feng: Processing style where leaves are twisted lengthwise, common in green teas.
Monsoon Flush: Teas harvested during rainy season, particularly in Darjeeling.
Pekoe: The fine down on unopened leaf buds, also used in grading terminology.
Plucking Standard: Number of leaves harvested with each bud, affecting tea grade.
Seedling: Tea plants grown from seed, showing more variation than clonal plants.
Single Estate: Tea produced entirely from one garden or plantation.
Terroir: The complete growing environment including soil, climate, and elevation that influences tea characteristics.
Withering: Initial processing step where fresh leaves lose moisture and become pliable.
Storage & Aging
Aged Tea: Teas intentionally aged to develop unique flavors, particularly common with Pu-erh.
Breaking: Process of separating compressed tea into smaller pieces for brewing.
Compression: The process of pressing loose tea leaves into cakes or bricks for aging.
Humidity Control: Critical factor in proper tea storage, typically 45-70% relative humidity.
Light Exposure: Factor affecting tea storage, as UV rays can degrade tea quality.
Oxidation: Chemical reaction that occurs when tea leaves are exposed to air, crucial in processing black and oolong teas.
Pile Storage: Method of storing pu-erh tea cakes in stacks to maintain consistent aging conditions.
Raw Storage: Traditional storage method without artificial humidity control.
Resting: Allowing tea to sit undisturbed after purchase or transport to re-stabilize.
Sealed Storage: Keeping tea in airtight containers to prevent absorption of external aromas.
Vintage: The year and season in which aged tea was produced.
Wet Storage: Storage conditions with higher humidity, accelerating aging in pu-erh teas.
Tea Types & Processing
[Previous entries maintained, adding:]
Ali Shan: High-mountain oolong from Taiwan known for its creamy, floral character.
Bai Mu Dan: White Peony tea, consisting of buds and young leaves.
Dong Ding: Traditional Taiwanese oolong with a roasted, nutty character.
Fu Brick: Fermented dark tea from Hunan province containing "golden flowers" (beneficial fungi).
Gaba Oolong: Oxygen-depleted processed tea high in GABA amino acid.
Huangpian: Larger yellow leaves separated during Pu-erh processing.
Jin Jun Mei: Premium black tea from Wuyi Mountains made only from buds.
Kukicha: Japanese twig tea made from stems and stalks.
Lapsang Souchong: Smoke-dried black tea from Wuyi Mountains.
Liu An: Basket-aged tea similar to Pu-erh from Anhui Province.
Matcha: Stone-ground Japanese green tea powder.
Oriental Beauty: Bug-bitten oolong tea with honey notes.
Ripe (Shou) Pu-erh: Artificially fermented Pu-erh tea.
Raw (Sheng) Pu-erh: Naturally aged Pu-erh tea.
Yellow Tea: Rare category involving sealed yellowing process.
Regional Terminology
Chinese Tea Terms
Cha: Tea in Mandarin Chinese.
Gongfu Cha: Traditional Chinese tea ceremony.
Hong Cha: Chinese term for black tea (literally "red tea").
Lu Cha: Chinese term for green tea.
Maocha: Raw material for Pu-erh production.
Wei Qi: Internal energy cultivated through tea practice.
Japanese Tea Terms
Chado: The Way of Tea (tea ceremony).
Chadōgu: Tea ceremony implements.
Matsuridashi: First tea of the new season.
Ocha: Tea in Japanese.
Sensei: Tea master/teacher.
Wabi-Sabi: Aesthetic of imperfect beauty in tea ceremony.
Korean Tea Terms
Dado: Korean tea ceremony.
Dawan: Korean tea bowl.
Panyaro: Traditional Korean tea preparation method.
Indian Tea Terms
Chai: Spiced milk tea.
Masala: Spice mixture used in chai.
Patti: Tea leaves in Hindi.
Tea Processing Methods
Bruising: Deliberately damaging leaves to promote oxidation.
Firing: Heat application to halt oxidation and dry leaves.
Kill-Green: Process of heating leaves to prevent oxidation.
Pan-Firing: Chinese method of heat application.
Rolling: Shaping leaves and breaking cell walls.
Steaming: Japanese method of heat application.
Withering: Initial drying of fresh leaves.
Tea Equipment & Accessories
Brewing Vessels
Chataku: Saucer for tea bowl.
Fair Cup: Decanting pitcher ensuring equal brew strength.
Houhin: Small Japanese teapot for fine green teas.
Shiboridashi: Flat Japanese steeping vessel.
Tetsubin: Cast iron Japanese kettle.
Yuzamashi: Cooling vessel for hot water.
Tools & Implements
Cha Ze: Tea stick for measuring loose leaves.
Chakin: Tea cloth for wiping bowls.
Futaoki: Rest for tea pot lid.
Katakuchi: Cooling/serving pitcher.
Kama: Metal pot for boiling water.
Matcha-Ire: Container for matcha powder.
Tea Storage
Caddy: Container for storing tea.
Cha He: Tea presentation vessel.
Jian: Paper-lined storage container.
Pu Tong: Bamboo tube for aged tea storage.
Tea Ceremony Elements
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Chashitsu: Tea room.
Fukusa: Silk cloth for cleaning utensils.
Mizusashi: Fresh water container.
Natsume: Tea container used in ceremony.
Roji: Tea garden path.
Temae: Tea preparation procedure.
Chinese Tea Ceremony
Cha Dao: The Way of Tea.
Cha Xi: Tea performance setup.
Ming: Destiny/fate in tea practice.
Pin Cha: Tea tasting/evaluation.
Zi Sha: Purple clay used in Yixing pottery.
Advanced Tasting Terminology
Aromatics: Volatile compounds creating tea's smell.
Base Notes: Deepest flavors, last to be perceived.
Cha Qi: Tea's energy or effect on the body.
Huigan: Sweet afterglow in throat.
Minerality: Taste quality reminiscent of stones/metals.
Top Notes: First flavors perceived.
Umami: Savory taste from amino acids.
Yammy: Characteristic of aged pu-erh teas.
Tea Agriculture
Arbor: Tree-form tea plants.
Bush: Pruned tea plant form.
Cultivar: Specific tea plant variety.
Pest Bitten: Leaves attacked by insects (desired for some teas).
Shade Grown: Teas grown under covers.
Terraced: Growing method on hillsides.
Wild Grown: Naturally occurring tea trees.
Modern Tea Industry Terms
Artisanal: Small-batch, handcrafted production.
Direct Trade: Buying directly from gardens.
Fair Trade: Ethical trading certification.
Limited Edition: Small quantity seasonal productions.
Micro-Lot: Tea from single small garden section.
Single Origin: Tea from one specific location.
Specialty Tea: High-grade, usually whole leaf tea.
Health & Chemical Components
Caffeine: Stimulant naturally present in tea.
Catechins: Antioxidant compounds.
L-Theanine: Amino acid producing calm alertness.
Polyphenols: Beneficial chemical compounds.
Tannins: Astringent compounds in tea.
Theaflavins: Compounds in black tea.
Thearubigins: Red-colored compounds in black tea.
Tea Evaluation
Aroma Cup: Tall cup for evaluating fragrance.
Cupping: Professional tea tasting method.
Organoleptic: Sensory evaluation aspects.
Slurping: Technique to aerate tea while tasting.
Spider Chart: Flavor profile diagram.
Triangulation: Blind tasting comparison method.
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