The Playful Side of Japanese Idioms with 茶
Even if you do not speak Japanese, chances are you already know at least one Japanese word: cha, meaning tea.
That’s right, the humble tea has quietly steeped itself into global vocabulary, thanks to centuries of cultural exchange and a growing love for Japanese tea around the world.
But in Japanese, cha (茶) is more than just a warm drink – it shows up in playful, sometimes cheeky idioms that reveal a lot about everyday communication and humor.
In this second episode of our new series, Tea in Japanese Language, we will explore the unique expression ocha wo nigosu, which features the character 茶, but is not directly related to what’s in your teacup!
“Ocha wo Nigosu”
In Japanese, the expression お茶を濁す (ocha wo nigosu) literally means “to make the tea cloudy.” Figuratively, it refers to getting through a situation by glossing over it, saying something vague, or doing something half-heartedly to avoid dealing with the real issue. It is a way to patch things over without solving the problem, postponing decisions, or leaving matters unresolved. Without the honorific o, it can also be said as 茶を濁す (cha wo nigosu). The phrase carries a slightly negative nuance, indicating that the action is temporary or superficial rather than proper.
The origin of the phrase
The origin of ocha wo nigosu comes from the tea ceremony. It is said that the expression arose from beginners who did not know the proper procedures of tea preparation but tried to mimic them, whisking matcha in a way that looked acceptable to cover up their inexperience. Over time, as fewer people learned the tea ceremony itself, the phrase lost its direct connection to tea preparation and came to refer more generally to any half-hearted, evasive action used to get through a situation.
Japanese communication culture
The phrase also reflects broader aspects of Japanese communication culture. Japanese is a highly context-dependent language, and ambiguity is often used to avoid conflict or discomfort. Being indirect or noncommittal helps maintain harmony in the moment, and expressions like ocha wo nigosu provide a culturally familiar way to manage delicate situations. However, relying on this approach too often may not seem very polite in the long run.
Here are some example sentences:
- Otto ga okotteita node, ocha wo nigoshite nantoka sono ba wo ato ni shimashita.
(My husband was angry, so I evaded the situation and somehow got away.) - Kodomo ni tesuto no kekka wo kiitara, itsu no ma ni ka kare no otomodachi no hanashi ni nari, ocha wo nigosareta.
(When I asked my child about his test results, the conversation somehow shifted to his friends, and I was given an evasive answer.)
Do YOU make the tea cloudy?
Expressions like ocha wo nigosu provide a fascinating insight into Japanese social behavior, where indirectness is often preferred to direct confrontation. It is always fun to learn about the culture behind a language. Also, many Japanese expressions featuring cha originate from brewed teas, but this time, the character cha in ocha wo nigosu has the unusual origin of matcha. We hope you find this interesting.
Have you ever experienced someone giving you an ocha wo nigosu response when speaking with a Japanese person? Or are you the one who sometimes does ocha wo nigosu?
