Waitress: What would you like? (tenninn: nani ni nasaimasu ka.) Customer: Ocha, please (okyaku: ocha, onegai shimasu.) Waitress: Sorry, we don’t serve ocha. (tenninn: sumimasenn. ocha ha arimasenn.) Customer: What? Isn’t this a tea room? (okyaku: ee? koko ha thi-ru-mu deshou?) Waitress: Yes, this is a tea room. So, tea is available. (tenninn: hai, kissatenn desu. thi- ha gozaimasu.) Customer: Are you saying that tea is available, but not ocha? (okyaku: ocha ha nai kedo, thi- ha aru?) Waitress: Ocha is served after you’ve had tea. (tenninn: ocha ha thi- wo nonnda ato ni odashi shimasu.) Customer: I don’t understand what you’re saying. (okyaku: anata no iu imi ga, wakarimasenn.) Manga Explanation: Scene 1. Kissatenn is the equivalent of a tea room or coffee shop. Scene 2. In Japan, ocha means Japanese tea (green tea), and, along with water, is customarily provided free of charge in restaurants. Therefore, ocha is not on the menu in ordinary tea rooms. Scene 3. In Japanese, thi- means black tea, so no Japanese customers ask for ocha when making their order. Scene 4. In some kissatenn, Japanese tea is offered as “sa-bisu” that is, free of charge. The non-Japanese customer thinks that the word for tea in Japanese is ocha. Therefore he is confused by the waitress’ words.
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