Tea Lexicon

Tea Lexicon

A plain-language guide to tea

A tea’s name can describe where it grew, which leaves were picked, how they were processed, or how the drink is prepared. Understanding those distinctions makes a label easier to read and a cup easier to explore.

This reference covers tea plants, places, methods, equipment, and tasting language. Some terms have different meanings across regions and traditions; those differences are noted where they affect what you’re buying or brewing.

Aroma /əˈroʊmə/ · noun
The smell of tea, whether you’re smelling the dry leaves, the warmed leaves, or the brewed cup. These can give different impressions. Descriptions such as floral, toasted, or woody are comparisons that help communicate an aroma; they don’t necessarily identify added ingredients.

Assam /əˈsæm/ · noun
A tea-growing region in northeastern India, much of it associated with the Brahmaputra Valley. Assam is particularly known for black teas with substantial body and malty flavors. The regional name identifies origin; it doesn’t tell you whether the tea was made by orthodox or CTC processing.

Astringency /əˈstrɪndʒənsi/ · noun
The drying, gripping, or puckering sensation tea can produce in the mouth. It’s a physical sensation, distinct from the taste of bitterness, although both can occur together. A little astringency can be part of a tea’s character; its intensity also changes with brewing.

Bergamot /ˈbɜrɡəˌmɑt/ · noun
An aromatic citrus fruit whose peel oil is associated with Earl Grey. Its fragrance combines citrus and floral impressions. In an ingredient list, bergamot oil or flavoring indicates an addition to the tea; a citrus-like tasting note alone doesn’t establish that anything was added.

Black tea /blæk tiː/ · noun
Tea whose processing encourages extensive enzymatic oxidation before drying. This changes the leaf’s color, aroma, and flavor. Black tea includes many distinct styles, from brisk breakfast blends to lightly bodied Darjeelings. In Chinese tea terminology, it’s called hong cha, or red tea, referring to the brewed liquid.

Blend /blɛnd/ · noun
A combination of teas, sometimes with other ingredients. A blender may combine origins, cultivars, harvests, or batches to achieve a particular flavor or maintain consistency through seasonal changes. The word describes how a product is assembled. Assess its ingredients and cup rather than assuming blending determines quality.

Body /ˈbɑdi/ · noun
The perceived weight and texture of brewed tea in the mouth. A tea might feel light, rounded, or thick. Body differs from flavor intensity: a fragrant tea can have a light body. Leaf choice and the amount of tea used in brewing both affect the impression.

Broken leaf /ˈbroʊkən liːf/ · noun
Tea sorted into grades containing pieces of leaf. Broken grades are used in several black-tea grading systems and can result from deliberate processing. Smaller particles generally extract more quickly than large leaves. The grade describes the leaf’s physical form and doesn’t, by itself, establish drinking quality.

Camellia sinensis /kəˈmiːliə sɪˈnɛnsɪs/ · noun
The botanical name of the tea plant. Green, white, yellow, oolong, black, and dark teas are made from this species using different methods. Two major cultivated botanical varieties are var. sinensis and var. assamica. Within them, growers work with many cultivars and seed-grown populations.

Ceremonial grade /ˌsɛrəˈmoʊniəl ɡreɪd/ · noun
A marketing description often applied to matcha intended for drinking with water. It doesn’t provide a uniform grading standard that lets you compare every seller’s tea. Look for the producer’s preparation recommendations and sourcing information. Ippodo, for example, doesn’t use the term for its matcha.

Chai /tʃaɪ/; Masala chai /məˈsɑlə tʃaɪ/ · noun
Chai means tea in Hindi and several other languages. Masala chai is spiced tea, commonly prepared with milk and sugar. The spice mixture varies by household and maker; ginger, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon are familiar examples. An English-language label saying “chai” often refers to this spiced style.

Chasen /ˈtʃɑsən/ · noun
A bamboo whisk used to prepare matcha in a bowl called a chawan. Its fine tines help disperse the powder through water. Whisking technique changes with the preparation: thin matcha, or usucha, and thick matcha, or koicha, aren’t mixed in exactly the same way.

Compressed tea /kəmˈprɛst tiː/ · noun
Tea pressed into a cake, brick, nest, or another shape. Pu-erh is frequently sold this way, but white tea and other teas can also be compressed. Shape alone doesn’t identify the tea type, its age, or its quality. Portions are separated from the larger piece for brewing.

CTC /ˌsiː tiː ˈsiː/ · abbreviation; noun
Short for crush, tear, curl: a mechanical process that breaks leaf into small particles. It’s widely used for black tea and produces a form that extracts readily, including in strong milk teas. CTC describes a manufacturing method. The finished tea is then sorted into particle-size grades.

Cultivar /ˈkʌltəˌvɑr/ · noun
A cultivated selection of a plant maintained for particular characteristics, such as growth habit, harvest timing, or flavor potential. Yabukita is one example used in Japanese tea. A cultivar name identifies plant material; growing conditions and processing still influence the resulting tea. Sellers sometimes use “varietal” loosely for cultivar.

Cupping /ˈkʌpɪŋ/ · noun
A structured way of evaluating tea. Tasters examine the dry leaf, brewed liquid, and infused leaf, using consistent preparation to make comparisons more meaningful. Commercial cupping may emphasize faults, grading, and buying decisions. At home, two teas brewed side by side can make differences easier to recognize.

Darjeeling /dɑrˈdʒiːlɪŋ/ · noun
A tea-growing district in West Bengal, India, and the name associated with its teas. Darjeeling’s harvests can differ considerably. Spring first-flush teas are often lighter in style, while some second-flush teas show muscatel character. Read the estate, harvest, and tea type together to understand a particular offering.

Dark tea /dɑrk tiː/; Hei cha /heɪ tʃɑ/ · noun
A family of teas whose manufacture involves microbial fermentation. Examples include several regional Chinese styles; pu-erh is often discussed alongside this family, although classification can differ, particularly for young sheng. In Chinese terminology, hei cha means dark or black tea. It’s distinct from hong cha, the oxidized tea called black tea in English.

Earl Grey /ˌɜrl ˈɡreɪ/ · noun
A tea style flavored with bergamot, most commonly using a black-tea base. Producers choose different base teas and amounts or forms of bergamot flavoring, so the name covers a range of cups. Variations may add flowers, vanilla, or other ingredients; check the label for the actual blend.

Estate /ɪˈsteɪt/; Garden /ˈɡɑrdən/ · noun
Terms for a place where tea is grown. Their scale and local usage vary: an estate may include substantial planted land and a factory, while a garden may be much smaller. An estate name is a starting point for tracing origin; harvest and batch information narrow it further.

Extraction /ɪkˈstrækʃən/ · noun
The movement of substances from tea leaves into the brewing water. Leaf size, water composition, temperature, time, and the ratio of leaf to water all influence the result. Adjusting one variable at a time makes it easier to understand why a cup tastes different.

Fannings /ˈfænɪŋz/; Dust /dʌst/ · noun
Small particle-size grades used in tea sorting. Fannings are generally finer than broken-leaf grades; dust is finer still. Both extract quickly and are commonly used in tea bags. “Dust” means fine tea particles. Neither term alone establishes the flavor or condition of the finished product.

Fermentation /ˌfɜrmənˈteɪʃən/ · noun
Microbial activity that changes tea during the production or maturation of certain styles, including ripe pu-erh. Older tea-trade language also uses “fermentation” for the enzymatic oxidation involved in black tea. Those are different processes, so the intended meaning depends on the tea and the source using the term.

Finish /ˈfɪnɪʃ/ · noun
The flavors and sensations that remain after swallowing. A finish may seem sweet, drying, floral, roasted, or brief. It’s part of the tasting experience rather than a fixed quality score. Notice what remains and how it changes before taking another sip.

Fixation /fɪkˈseɪʃən/; Sha qing /ʃɑ tʃɪŋ/ · noun
A heating step used to sharply reduce the enzyme activity responsible for oxidation. Depending on the tea, this can involve steaming or heating the leaf in a pan or drum. Its timing helps define the style: green tea is fixed early, while oolong undergoes oxidation first.

Flush /flʌʃ/ · noun
A period of new growth and, by extension, the harvest taken from it. First flush and second flush are especially familiar on Indian tea labels. Their timing and flavor associations depend on the region and weather. A flush identifies a seasonal crop rather than a universal quality rank.

Gaiwan /ˈɡaɪwɑn/ · noun
A Chinese lidded bowl used to brew or drink tea, commonly accompanied by a saucer. When used for brewing, the lid can hold back the leaves while the liquid is poured out. Gaiwans are often used for short, repeated infusions and allow close inspection of the leaf.


Genmaicha /ˌɡɛnˈmaɪtʃɑ/ · noun
A blend of Japanese green tea and roasted rice. The rice contributes a toasted cereal aroma, while the choice of tea changes the body and flavor. Some versions contain added matcha. Genmaicha describes a blend style, so the ingredient list helps explain differences between examples.

Gongfu brewing /ˈɡʊŋ fuː ˈbruːɪŋ/ · noun
An approach to tea preparation associated with Chinese tea traditions, commonly using small vessels, a relatively high proportion of leaf, and a series of short infusions. The brewer adjusts each infusion as the leaves open and extract. Practices vary; there isn’t one universal gongfu recipe or required equipment set.

Grade /ɡreɪd/ · noun
A classification assigned to tea according to a particular system. Some grades describe leaf size and appearance; others relate to local production or commercial standards. Grades from different systems aren’t directly interchangeable. Before using a grade to judge quality, ask what the classification actually measures.

Green tea /ɡriːn tiː/ · noun
Tea heated early in processing to limit enzymatic oxidation. Producers then shape and dry the leaves through methods that vary by region and style. Green tea can be steamed, pan-heated, or otherwise heat-treated. Its flavors range widely, including vegetal, toasted, floral, and savory impressions.

Gyokuro /ˌɡjoʊˈkʊroʊ/ · noun
A Japanese green tea shaded before harvest, then steamed, rolled, and dried. Shading contributes to its characteristic savory, umami-rich profile. It’s often prepared with relatively cool water and a high proportion of leaf, although methods vary. Gyokuro is brewed as leaves; it isn’t ground into matcha.

Hojicha /hoʊˈdʒiːtʃɑ/ · noun
Japanese tea roasted to produce a toasted aroma and typically brown leaves or stems. It may be made from bancha, sencha, or stem material. Its brown appearance comes from roasting, so it remains distinct from oxidized black tea. The raw material and roast determine the particular cup.

Infusion /ɪnˈfjuːʒən/; Steeping /ˈstiːpɪŋ/ · noun
The process of leaving tea or other botanicals in water to make a drink. “Infusion” can also mean the resulting liquid or a particular round of brewing, as in “second infusion.” Steeping time works together with temperature and leaf quantity; it isn’t an independent measure of strength.

Jasmine tea /ˈdʒæzmɪn tiː/ · noun
Tea scented with jasmine flowers, most often using a green-tea base. In traditional scenting, the leaves absorb the flowers’ fragrance and the blossoms may then be removed. Visible petals aren’t required. Jasmine tea contains tea leaves and should be distinguished from an infusion made only from flowers.

Kukicha /kuːˈkiːtʃɑ/ · noun
Japanese stem tea, made largely from stems and stalks separated during tea processing. It can be green or roasted, and its character depends on the material used. Some stem teas associated with higher-grade shaded teas are sold under names such as karigane; naming practices vary by producer.

Kyusu /ˈkjuːsuː/ · noun
A Japanese teapot. Outside Japan, the word often brings to mind a small pot with a handle projecting from the side, although kyusu come in other forms. Many include a built-in strainer. Their size and construction can suit brewing Japanese leaf teas in several separate infusions.

Lapsang souchong /ˌlæp sæŋ ˈsuːtʃɑŋ/ · noun
A black tea associated with the Wuyi area of Fujian, China. In many Western shops, the name refers to a pine-smoked style. Unsmoked versions also exist, so the label or producer’s description should establish whether smoke is part of the tea’s processing and flavor.

Leaf-to-water ratio /liːf tə ˈwɔtər ˈreɪʃioʊ/ · noun
The amount of dry tea used for a given volume of water. A ratio such as 3 grams per 250 milliliters makes a brewing instruction reproducible. Measuring by weight is more consistent than a teaspoon because tightly rolled, broken, and large open leaves occupy different amounts of space.

Liquor /ˈlɪkər/ · noun
The brewed liquid in tea-tasting language. It doesn’t imply alcohol. Tasters may describe a tea’s liquor by color, clarity, aroma, body, and flavor. A dark liquor isn’t automatically stronger in every sense, and color alone doesn’t reveal caffeine content or establish quality.

Matcha /ˈmɑtʃɑ/ · noun
Finely powdered green tea made from tencha: shaded leaves that are steamed and dried without the rolling used for sencha, then refined for grinding. Matcha is dispersed in water and consumed with the leaf particles. Powdered green tea isn’t automatically matcha; the starting material and processing distinguish it.

Muscatel /ˌmʌskəˈtɛl/ · noun
A tasting term particularly associated with some second-flush Darjeeling teas. It describes a grape-like aromatic character that tasters may also perceive as fruity, floral, or lightly musky. It doesn’t mean grapes or wine have been added, and it isn’t a feature of every Darjeeling harvest.

Oolong /ˈuːlɔŋ/; Wulong /ˈuːlɔŋ/ · noun
A family of teas made through controlled withering, bruising, oxidation, heating, and drying, with methods varying by style. Oolongs span a wide range of oxidation and roast levels. Some are rolled into compact balls; others have long, twisted leaves. “Oolong” alone predicts neither one flavor nor one brewing temperature.

Orange pekoe /ˌɔrɪndʒ ˈpiːkoʊ/; OP /ˌoʊ ˈpiː/ · noun
A whole-leaf grade used in certain black-tea grading systems, particularly associated with South Asian tea production. “Orange” doesn’t indicate added orange flavor. Related abbreviations describe other leaf forms or features, such as BOP for Broken Orange Pekoe. The letters provide grading information, not a complete account of flavor or quality.

Orthodox /ˈɔrθədɑks/ · adjective
A term commonly used for tea made with rolling methods rather than CTC processing. Orthodox manufacture can involve machines as well as handwork and yields both whole and broken grades. It describes the production approach; it doesn’t mean every leaf is intact or every step was done by hand.

Oxidation /ˌɑksɪˈdeɪʃən/ · noun
Chemical reactions involving oxygen that change compounds in the leaf. During tea manufacture, enzymes help drive changes in color, aroma, and flavor, especially after the leaf is bruised or rolled. Producers manage this activity through time, handling, and heat. Oxidation is central to understanding black tea and oolong.

Plucking /ˈplʌkɪŋ/ · noun
Harvesting tea shoots. A bud and two leaves is a familiar plucking standard, but different teas call for different material, including buds alone or more mature leaves. Plucking may be done by hand or machine. The selected material and its condition affect the processing choices that follow.

Pu-erh /ˈpuːɜr/; Puer /ˈpuːɜr/ · noun
A tea associated with Yunnan, China, made from large-leaf tea material and commonly sold loose or compressed. Sheng, often called raw pu-erh, changes through storage and aging. Shou, also spelled shu or called ripe pu-erh, undergoes managed pile fermentation. These styles can taste quite different.

Roasting /ˈroʊstɪŋ/ · noun
Heating used to develop a tea’s aroma and flavor. Roast level is particularly relevant to many oolongs and to hojicha. Roasting is a separate variable from oxidation: a tea can be lightly oxidized and still receive a substantial roast. Some teas undergo more than one roasting stage.

Rolling /ˈroʊlɪŋ/ · noun
Shaping and working tea leaves by hand or machine. Depending on the method, rolling also disrupts leaf tissue, affecting subsequent oxidation and extraction. Long twists and compact balls are two familiar forms. The appearance of the dry leaf reflects a production choice rather than a universal quality ranking.

Rooibos /ˈrɔɪbɑs/ · noun
An infusion made from Aspalathus linearis, a South African plant distinct from Camellia sinensis. The familiar reddish-brown rooibos is oxidized during processing; green rooibos is processed to limit that change. Pure rooibos is naturally caffeine-free, although a blend’s other ingredients determine the finished product’s caffeine status.

Scenting /ˈsɛntɪŋ/ · noun
A process in which tea absorbs fragrance from aromatic material, particularly flowers. Jasmine tea is a familiar example, and repeated scenting may be used in its manufacture. Flowers can be removed afterward. Read the producer’s description to distinguish flower scenting from the addition of oils, extracts, or other flavorings.

Sencha /ˈsɛn.tʃɑ/ · noun
A Japanese green tea commonly made by steaming fresh leaves, then rolling and drying them. Steaming duration, cultivar, harvest, and growing conditions affect the result. Although many senchas are grown without prolonged shading, some receive shade. The name describes a broad tea style rather than a single flavor.

Single origin /ˈsɪŋɡəl ˈɔrɪdʒɪn/ · adjective
Tea identified with one geographic source. Depending on the seller, that may mean a country, region, estate, garden, or a narrower location. Look for the place actually named. Single-origin tea can still combine different cultivars or batches, so the phrase doesn’t establish a single harvest or plant selection.

Terroir /tɛˈrwɑr/ · noun
A term used to discuss how a growing place contributes to a crop’s character, including climate, soil, elevation, and exposure. In tea, these influences interact with plant material and the maker’s work. Terroir can help frame questions about origin, but it doesn’t replace specific sourcing information.

Tisane /tɪˈzæn/; Herbal infusion /ˈɜrbəl ɪnˈfjuːʒən/ · noun
A drink made by infusing plants other than Camellia sinensis, such as chamomile, mint, or hibiscus. “Herbal tea” is the familiar everyday name. Many are caffeine-free, but the category itself doesn’t guarantee that: botanicals such as yerba mate contain caffeine, and blends may include tea leaves.

Umami /uːˈmɑmi/ · noun
A savory taste associated with glutamate, familiar in foods such as broth. In tea it’s particularly associated with shaded Japanese styles, including gyokuro and matcha. Umami describes a taste; body describes how the liquid feels in the mouth. A tea can have either without a strong impression of the other.

White tea /waɪt tiː/ · noun
Tea made principally by withering and drying buds, leaves, or a combination of both. Some oxidation occurs during processing, so “unoxidized” is an incomplete description. Silver Needle and White Peony are familiar styles. White tea can also be compressed and aged; the name doesn’t guarantee a pale or delicate cup.

Withering /ˈwɪðərɪŋ/ · noun
A managed period after harvest during which leaves lose moisture and undergo changes that influence aroma and subsequent processing. Airflow, temperature, humidity, and time affect the result. Withering makes leaves more pliable, but its role goes beyond softening them. Methods differ among tea types and producers.

Yellow tea /ˈjɛloʊ tiː/ · noun
A tea family associated with an additional yellowing stage, often called men huang, after initial heating. Warm, moist leaves are held under controlled conditions before further drying. The method varies by style. Yellow tea is defined by its processing, so a yellow-colored green-tea infusion doesn’t make it yellow tea. 

Sources & Further Reading

This lexicon draws on botanical references, tea-industry resources, and educational material from growers and tea merchants. Terminology varies among regions and producers; the references below provide further detail on those differences.