お銚子(ちょうし)

The polite form of 銚子(ちょうし), with the honorific prefix お. In modern usage, お銚子(ちょうし) typically refers to the small ceramic flask (technically a とっくり/徳利(とくり)) used to serve sake at restaurants and bars. Historically, 銚子(ちょうし) referred to a long-handled metal vessel used in formal sake ceremonies, but this distinction has been lost in everyday language. Counted with 本(ほん).

Common collocations

• お銚子(ちょうし)を一本(いっぽん): one flask of sake
• お銚子(ちょうし)が空(あ)く: the sake flask is empty
• お銚子(ちょうし)をつける: to warm sake in the flask
• お銚子(ちょうし)を回(まわ)す: to pass the sake flask around

Related words

• 徳利(とっくり): tokkuri — the technically correct name for the narrow-necked sake flask
• 猪口(ちょこ): ochoko — the small cup sake is poured into
• 熱燗(あつかん): hot sake — sake warmed in a flask
• 冷酒(れいしゅ): cold sake — sake served chilled