红茶 hóngchá black tea
How to remember 红茶: 红 red + 茶 tea = black tea.
Characters
How it is used
- 'Black tea' in English, but literally 'red tea' - Chinese names it by the reddish brew, not the dark leaves.
- A common false friend: 红茶 = English black tea; don't translate it as 'red tea'.
- Contrast 绿茶 (lǜchá, green tea); both take measure words 杯 (cup) or 壶 (pot).
Example sentences
- 红茶里要加糖吗？ Hóngchá lǐ yào jiātáng ma?Would you like some sugar in your tea?
- 你可以选择红茶，咖啡或牛奶。 Nǐ kěyǐ xuǎnzé hóngchá, kāfēi huò niúnǎi.You have a choice of black tea, coffee, or milk.
- 你能告诉我红茶和绿茶的区别吗？ Nǐ néng gàosù wǒ hóngchá hé lǜchá de qūbié ma?Can you describe to me the difference between black tea and green tea?