(ちょこ)

おちょこ
noun
small sake cup
1. small sake cup
A small, typically ceramic cup used for drinking sake. Usually holds about 30-50 ml. A staple item at izakaya and traditional Japanese restaurants.
猪口(ちょこ)日本酒(にほんしゅ)()む。
To drink sake from an ochoko cup.
このお猪口(ちょこ)有田焼(ありたやき)です。
This sake cup is Arita ware.
祖父(そふ)毎晩(まいばん)猪口(ちょこ)()(はい)だけ日本酒(にほんしゅ)()むのが習慣(しゅうかん)だった。
My grandfather's habit was to drink just two small cups of sake every evening.

The お is an honorific prefix and is almost always included — 猪口(ちょこ) alone is rarely used.

SAKE DRINKING VESSELS:

  • 猪口(ちょこ): small cup (30-50 ml), the most common
  • (さかずき): flat, saucer-shaped cup (used in ceremonies)
  • (ます): square wooden box (sometimes used for sake)
  • 徳利(とっくり): sake carafe/flask (pours into お猪口(ちょこ))

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 猪口(ちょこ)()む: to drink from an ochoko
  • 猪口(ちょこ)()ぐ: to pour into an ochoko
  • 猪口(ちょこ)一杯(いっぱい): one cup (of sake)

CULTURE:
Ceramic お猪口(ちょこ) in various regional styles are popular souvenir items. Many izakaya let customers choose their preferred cup.