✦✦ ✦ tea DICTIONARY ✦✦✦
Not sure about a tea-related term? Look no further!
Below you will find definitions of some of the most common tea-related words.
A
Aftertaste: The taste or sensation left in the mouth after the tea has been consumed.
Anhui: Chinese province known for producing Keemun black tea
Aroma: The smell or scent of a particular type of tea.
Assam: A region in India known for producing black tea.
B
Bi Luo Chun: A type of Chinese green tea from the Jiangsu region.
Black tea: A type of tea that is made from fully oxidized tea leaves.
Blending: Mixing different types of tea leaves to create a unique flavor and aroma.
Body: The sensation of weight and fullness in the mouth that tea creates.
Brew: The process of making tea by steeping tea leaves in hot water.
Brightness: The level of liveliness or freshness in the flavor of a tea.
c
CTC or “Crush, Tear, Curl”: method of processing tea leaves to produce “broken leaf” tea.
The CTC method produces a darker, stronger flavored tea, mostly used to make tea bags or blends of tea.
Caffeine: A stimulant found in tea and coffee.
Camellia sinensis: The scientific name for the tea plant.
Ceylon: A region in Sri Lanka known for producing black tea.
Chai: A type of tea that is flavored with spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.
Chasen: a Japanese tea whisk used to mix powdered green tea.
Chasen Naoshi: a tea whisk holder; a porcelain stand that helps the chasen to dry after washing while maintaining its shape.
Chashaku: a bamboo tea scoop with a curved end used to measure between a third and a half teaspoon of matcha powder.
Chawan: a Japanese ceramic tea bowl used to prepare and serve matcha during traditional Japanese tea ceremonies.
Cold brew tea: A type of tea that is made by steeping tea leaves in cold water for an extended period of time.
d
Darjeeling: a region of India known for producing high-quality black tea.
Dragonwell: A type of Chinese green tea from the Hangzhou region.
E
Earl Grey: a type of black tea flavored with bergamot oil.
Estate: a plantation or garden where tea is grown.
F
Fermentation: A process that produces flavor, color, and aroma changes in certain teas such as Pu-erh.
Firing: The process of stopping oxidation by heating the tea leaves.
First flush: The first harvest of tea leaves, typically in the spring.
Flavor profile: The unique combination of flavors and aromas that are associated with a particular type of tea.
Floral notes: The presence of floral aromas or flavors in a particular type of tea.
Flush: The term used to describe the seasonal harvest of tea leaves.
Formosa: A region in Taiwan known for producing high-quality oolong tea.
Fruity notes: The presence of fruity flavors or aromas in a particular type of tea.
Furui: a fine mesh strainer that will sift matcha powder to avoid clumps
G
Gaiwan: a small Chinese lidded bowl used to brew tea.
Gongfu brewing: a traditional Chinese method of brewing tea using a small teapot and multiple short steeps.
Green tea: A type of tea that is made from unoxidized tea leaves.
Gyokuro: a high-quality shade-grown Japanese green tea.
H
Herbal tea: A type of tea that is made from herbs, fruits, and flowers, rather than tea leaves. Technically speaking it is not “real” tea, since it does not come from the Camellia sinensis plant.
Hojicha: A type of Japanese green tea that is roasted over charcoal.
I
Iced tea: A type of tea that is served cold, typically over ice.
Infusion: The liquid resulting from steeping tea leaves in hot water.
J
Jasmine tea: a scented tea made by layering tea leaves with jasmine flowers.
K
Keemun: A type of Chinese black tea from the Anhui region.
L
Lapsang Souchong: a black tea from China that is smoke-dried over pinewood fires.
Longjing: A type of Chinese green tea from the Hangzhou region.
Loose leaf tea: Tea that comes in loose, whole leaves, rather than in bags or pre-packaged.
M
Matcha: A type of Japanese green tea powder made by grinding the entire leaf.
Maturation: A natural aging process undergone by certain teas such as pu-erh, which can improve the flavor and aroma over time.
N
Nilgiri: A region in India known for producing black tea.
Nuttiness: The presence of nutty flavors or aromas in a particular type of tea.
O
Oolong: A type of tea that is partially oxidized and falls between green and black tea.
Oxidation: The chemical process that occurs when tea leaves are exposed to air and turn a brownish color.
P
Pekoe: a grade given to black tea made from two leaves and a bud
Plucking: The process of harvesting tea leaves.
Pu-erh: A type of tea that is fermented and aged for several years before being consumed.
R
Rolling: The process of shaping and bruising the tea leaves to initiate oxidation.
S
Second flush: The second harvest of tea leaves, typically in the summer
Sencha: A type of Japanese green tea made from the first flush of leaves.
Shaded cultivation: A method of growing tea plants in which they are covered to slow down photosynthesis and increase the concentration of amino acids and caffeine in the leaves.
Shincha: A Japanese term for the first flush of green tea harvested in the spring.
Smokiness: The flavor of smoke that is often associated with certain types of tea such as Lapsang Souchong.
Spiciness: The presence of spicy flavors or aromas in a particular type of tea.
Steeping: The process of immersing tea leaves in hot water to extract the flavor and aroma.
Steeping ratio: The ratio of tea leaves to water used in brewing the tea.
Steeping temperature: The temperature of the water used to steep the tea leaves.
Steeping time: The amount of time the tea leaves are steeped in water to extract the flavor and aroma.
T
Tannins: A group of astringent compounds found in tea that can affect the taste and color of the tea.
Tasting notes: The flavors and aromas that are associated with a particular type of tea.
Tea blend: A combination of different types of tea leaves to create a unique flavor and aroma.
Tea brewing technique: The way of steeping tea leaves in water, it could be grandpa style, traditional, cold brew, gongfu style, etc.
Tea caddy: A container used to store tea leaves and keep them fresh.
Tea ceremony: A ritualistic way of preparing and serving tea, typically in the form of a formal ceremony.
Tea cosy: A covering used to keep a teapot warm.
Tea culture: The customs, traditions, and practices associated with tea drinking in different cultures.
Tea grading: The system used to evaluate the quality of tea leaves based on factors such as size, shape, color, and aroma.
Tea infuser: A tool used to hold loose tea leaves in a teapot or cup while steeping.
Tea kettle: A pot used to boil water for making tea.
Tea leaves: The dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant that are used to make tea.
Tea pairing: The practice of matching different types of tea with specific foods to enhance the flavors and aromas of both.
Tea service: The process of preparing and serving tea.
Tea set: A collection of items used to prepare and serve tea, such as teapots, cups, and saucers.
Tea sommelier: A professional who specializes in the study and tasting of tea.
Tea strainer: A tool used to remove tea leaves from the liquid after steeping.
Tea tongs: A tool used to remove tea bags or tea infusers from a cup or pot.
Tea tourism: The travel and exploration of tea-producing regions and tea culture.
Tea towel: A cloth used to dry tea cups and saucers.
Tea tray: A tray used to hold a tea set and serve tea.
Terroir: The environmental factors that affect the growth and development of tea plants, including soil, climate, and altitude.
Theanine: an amino acid found in tea that is known to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
Tippy tea: A type of tea that has a high proportion of buds or tips in the leaves (a characteristic of the highest quality teas)
Tisane: A type of tea made from herbs, fruits, or flowers, rather than tea leaves.
U
Umami: A savory taste that is often associated with fermented teas such as pu-erh.
W
White tea: A type of tea that is made from the youngest and most delicate tea leaves.
Withering: The process of removing moisture from the tea leaves before they are processed.
WuYi: A region in China known for producing high-quality oolong tea.
Y
Yellow tea: A type of tea that is made from lightly oxidized tea leaves.
Yerba Mate: a South American caffeine-rich beverage made from the dried leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant.
Yixing: A region in China known for producing purple clay teapots.
Yixing teapot: a traditional Chinese teapot made from purple clay, used for brewing tea.