How to Use a Gaiwan: A Beginner’s Guide盖碗怎么用：新手指南

A simple step-by-step guide to brewing tea with a gaiwan, plus how to choose the right size and avoid burning your fingers.用盖碗泡茶的分步指南，附带容量怎么选、怎么不烫手的实用建议。

A gaiwan is a lidded bowl used to brew tea — a versatile, traditional Chinese tool that works for almost any loose-leaf tea. It has three parts: the bowl, the lid, and (usually) a saucer. Once you get the grip, it’s faster and easier to clean than a teapot.盖碗是一种带盖的泡茶碗——百搭的中式传统茶具，几乎适合所有散叶茶。它由三部分组成：碗身、碗盖，通常还有碗托。掌握握法后，它比茶壶更快、更好清洗。

Step by step分步操作

• 1. Warm the gaiwan with hot water, then pour it out.
• 2. Add tea leaves — a rough guide is to cover the bottom; adjust to taste.
• 3. Pour in hot water at the right temperature for your tea.
• 4. Cover with the lid, leaving a small gap at the rim.
• 5. Steep briefly (often 10–30 seconds for the first infusions).
• 6. Hold the lid with your fingers, tilt, and pour the tea out fully through the gap.
• 7. Re-steep — good tea gives many infusions.
• 1. 用热水温烫盖碗，再倒掉。 / 2. 投入茶叶——大致以铺满碗底为参考，按口味增减。 / 3. 注入适合该茶的水温的热水。 / 4. 盖上盖子，碗沿留一道小缝。 / 5. 短时冲泡（前几泡常为 10–30 秒）。 / 6. 手指扣住盖子、倾斜，从缝隙将茶汤完全倒出。 / 7. 续泡——好茶可冲多泡。

Choosing a size容量怎么选

Not burning your fingers怎么不烫手

The classic grip is thumb and middle finger on the saucer rim (or bowl rim), index finger on the lid knob. Pour decisively — a quick, full pour is cooler on the fingers than a slow trickle. A gaiwan with a flared rim stays cooler where you hold it, which is why many beginners prefer that shape.经典握法是拇指与中指扣住碗托边沿（或碗沿），食指按住盖钮。出汤要果断——快而完整地倒出，比慢慢滴更不烫手。碗沿外撇的盖碗，握持处更不烫，所以很多新手偏好这种器形。

Frequently asked questions常见问题