Sui Yin Zi
'broken silver'
Definition#
Sales name for small, hard nuggets of ripe pu'er sold loose in bags or small packs. What the name covers is contested between sources. A Jiemian article (2017-12-09, by Zhang Yu, from 茶语网) says that in sales terms 茶化石 and 碎银子 are simply 老茶头 (the lumps that form during pile fermentation), a new name for presentation, and that the drinkable form is made by cutting, sieving and picking the lumps and then steaming, pressing and kneading them. A Taiwanese lifestyle article (Marie Claire Taiwan) instead describes 碎银子 as a premium ripe old-tree pu'er from spring buds, named for its resemblance to broken silver. Verdant Tea calls it 'Broken Silver' and 'not that different from Lao Cha Tou'. English Wikipedia's pu'er article lists 'nuggets (碎银子; Suiyinzi or fossilized tea 茶化石)'. The size, hardness, age and raw material vary by seller.
Translation and usage#
| Language | Use | Alternatives & cautions |
|---|---|---|
| English | Sui Yin Zi 'broken silver': ripe pu'er nuggets pinyin with a gloss |
Also acceptable
Avoid tea nuggets already the preferred English for 茶头 (old tea heads); two terms should not share it real silver or "silver tea" it is a name for the look of the nuggets |
| Deutsch | Sui Yin Zi kleine Brocken von Shou-Pu-Erh ('zerbrochenes Silber') pinyin with a gloss |
Also acceptable
|
| Русский | Суй Инь Цзы мелкие комочки шу пуэра («битое серебро») pinyin with a gloss |
Also acceptable
|
| 简体字 | 碎银子 | |
| 繁體字 | 碎銀子 | Regional usage
|
| 日本語 | 砕銀子（スイインズ） 熟成茶の小さな塊 pinyin with a gloss |
Also acceptable
|
Common confusions#
- 碎银子 and 茶化石 are, per the Jiemian article, sales names for 老茶头 (the raw lump, see 茶头); another source describes a premium old-tree ripe tea. Ask the seller what the lumps are made of.
- Nugget size and the amount of fermentation vary; the name implies nothing about age.
- English 'nuggets' is used for the natural lump (Path of Cha, Verdant Tea: 老茶头) and for 碎银子 (en.wikipedia), so 'nuggets' alone does not separate them; the entry for 茶头 uses 'tea nuggets', which is why this entry does not.