1.
dim sum; yum cha; Chinese tea-accompanied small dishes
The Cantonese tradition of eating small steamed and fried dishes while drinking tea. In Japanese, the word refers both to the custom and to the dishes themselves.
飲茶を食べに行く。
To go out for dim sum.
横浜中華街で飲茶を楽しんだ。
We enjoyed dim sum in Yokohama's Chinatown.
週末に家族で飲茶のお店に行って、色々な点心を注文した。
On the weekend, our family went to a dim sum restaurant and ordered various dumplings and appetizers.
A loanword from Cantonese (飲茶, yám chàh), literally meaning 'drink tea.' Refers to the Chinese custom of eating small dishes (点心) accompanied by tea, or to the dishes and dining experience itself.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 飲茶を食べる: to eat dim sum
- 飲茶の店: dim sum restaurant
- 飲茶料理: dim sum cuisine
- 飲茶セット: dim sum set (meal)
RELATED TERMS:
- 点心: dim sum dishes; Chinese snacks/appetizers — refers to the individual dishes rather than the dining custom
- 中華料理: Chinese cuisine — the broader category
- 餃子: gyoza, dumplings — one of the most common dim sum items known in Japan
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Dim sum is popular in Japan, especially in Chinatown areas like 横浜中華街 and 神戸南京町. Common items include 小籠包 (soup dumplings), 焼売 (siu mai), and 春巻き (spring rolls).