Oolong tea (Oolong tea) - Oolongcha (English spelling) wū lóng chá

Japanese: ウーロン茶(烏竜茶) - ウーロンちゃ（英語表記）wū lóng chá

A type of Chinese tea. Also called "qing-cha" (green tea), it is a greenish-brown color, but at first glance it is dark brown and resembles a crow's wing, and its twisted, curved shape is said to resemble a dragon's claw, hence the name "oolong tea." It is a semi-fermented tea that is halfway between unfermented green tea and fully fermented black tea, combining the advantages of both. Its unique enzymes have a strong ability to break down fats and oils, making it an ideal drink for oily Chinese cuisine. It is unclear when and where production began, but its name first appeared in the "Anniversary of Anxi County" (1725-35) of Anxi County in southern Fujian Province.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中国茶の一種。青茶（チンチヤー）とも呼ばれ，緑色がかった茶褐色であるが，一見すると黒褐色でカラスの羽を思わせ，ねじれ曲がった形状は〈竜のつめ〉のようだというので，烏竜茶の名があるという。無発酵の緑茶と完全発酵の紅茶の中間にある半発酵茶で，両者の長所を兼ね備えている。特有の酵素の作用で油脂の分解力が強く，油気の多い中国料理に最適の飲料である。製造開始の時期や場所は明らかでないが，福建省南部安渓県の《安渓県志》(1725‐35)にはじめて名を見ることができる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Uwa [town] - Wow

>>: Józef Maria Hoene‐Wroński