ChinaTea101 / Field notes

Chinese Tea Glossary

Understand common Chinese tea terms, including shaqing, huigan, cha hao and mingqian, without confusing label language with verification.

Shaqing · 杀青 · shā qīng

Heat fixation: a processing step that limits enzyme activity and helps control oxidation.

Huigan · 回甘 · huí gān

Returning sweetness: a tasting term for a sweet impression noticed after swallowing. It is a sensory description, not an objective quality score.

Cha hao · 茶毫 · chá háo

Fine hairs on tea buds and young leaves. Their visibility varies and does not authenticate origin.

Mingqian · 明前 · míng qián

Before Qingming: a harvest-timing term. On its own, it does not prove quality, authenticity or the truth of the date on a label.

Development glossary. Detailed source review is pending.