ちゃ

Japanese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡ɕa̠]

Etymology 1

Syllable

ちゃ • (cha) 

1. The hiragana syllable ちゃ (cha). Its equivalent in katakana is チャ (cha).

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of ちゃ – see the following entry.

【茶】2 [noun] tea [noun] synonym of 茶の木 (cha no ki, “tea plant, Camellia sinensis”) [noun] brown

(This term, ちゃ (cha), is the hiragana spelling of the above term.) For a list of all kanji read as ちゃ, see Category:Japanese kanji read as ちゃ.

Etymology 3

/te wa/ → */tɣa/ → /tɨa/ → /t͡ɕa/

Conjunction

ちゃ • (cha) 

1. (colloquial) contraction of ては (-te wa)
   • 1813, Shikitei Sanba, Kokkeibon (滑稽本), Ukiyodoko (浮世床): part 1 (初)

     お客(きゃく)が来(く)りゃア、待(また)しちゃ置(おけ)やせん

     O-kyaku ga kuryā, matashicha oke yasen

     When our customers come, we won't keep them waiting, sir.

   • 1995 October 4, Hideaki Anno, “Angel Attack” (18:32 from the start), in Neon Genesis Evangelion, spoken by Shinji Ikari (Megumi Ogata):

     逃(に)げちゃ駄目(だめ)だ。

     Nigecha dame da.

     I mustn't run away.