Does anyone know the origin of the verb 茶化す, which translates as 'to tease, to
make fun of, to kid'? Is is somehow related to "breaking teacups"?
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2017-07-30T08:56:37.530
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2017-09-28T15:21:58.283
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question
etymology history
Origin of the verb 茶化す？
[Here](http://senpou.cocolog-nifty.com/sousen/2008/04/post_5cfa.html) is an
article on the etymology of 茶化す.

Excerpts from the main line of the article are translated like:

> "The keyword to understand "茶化す" is a China's copper trumpeter called
> Charmera or **チャルメラ** : Portuguese tyaramela (etymology is _calamus_ meaning
> reed in Latin). The origin of oboe, one of wind instruments. Although it was
> used for the accompaniment music of street performing, it seemed that the
> strange tone that had not been heard in Japan until then sounded
> irresponsible for the audience. "茶{ちゃ} _tea_ " in "茶化す" is mere an _ateji_
> ([当て字]{あてじ}, a Chinese character used as a phonetic symbol rather than for
> its meaning) and it has been used also in a word like "ちゃらんぽらん" that
> expresses a irresponsible feeling.

[Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9dgsjsg_LI) you can hear the sound of
Chalmera that every Japanese knows.

[Here](http://www.nihonjiten.com/data/254221.html) is another article on 茶化す.
I quote the whole explanation as follows.

> **[茶化す]**  
>
> 冗談｛じょうだん｝のようにしてからかう、冷｛ひ｝やかす、誤魔化｛ごまか｝すことをいう。「茶化」は当｛あ｝て字｛じ｝で、「ふざける」の意｛い｝の「ちゃる。ちゃり（戯（ザレ）の転｛てん｝）」からとする説｛せつ｝、「茶」に語尾｛ごび｝「かす」を付｛つ｝けて動詞｛どうし｝にしたとする説｛せつ｝などがある。ちなみに、馬鹿｛ばか｝にする、冷｛ひ｝やかすことを「茶（ちゃ）にする」という。なお、「おちゃらかす」は、「おひゃらかす」と「ちゃかす」が合｛あ｝わさってできた語｛ご｝とされる。
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2017-07-30T13:46:02.240
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2017-07-30T14:16:26.150
2017-07-30T14:16:26.150
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answer