お猪口(ちょこ)

おちょこ
noun
small sake cup
foodtool
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.
お猪口(ちょこ)で日本酒(にほんしゅ)を飲(の)む。
To drink sake from an ochoko cup.
このお猪口(ちょこ)は有田焼(ありたやき)です。
This sake cup is Arita ware.
祖父(そふ)は毎晩(まいばん)お猪口(ちょこ)に二(に)杯(はい)だけ日本酒(にほんしゅ)を飲(の)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

  • お猪口(ちょこ): small cup (30-50 ml), the most common
  • 盃(さかずき): flat, saucer-shaped cup (used in ceremonies)
  • 枡(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

Cultural note

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

general
Added 2026.3.22 12:08 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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