yunomi wa chiisai.

The Japanese teacup is small.

Breakdown of yunomi wa chiisai.

• は: topic particle
• 小ちいさい: small
• 湯飲ゆのみ: a Japanese teacup

Questions & Answers about yunomi wa chiisai.

How do you read 湯飲み は 小さい。?

It is read:

ゆのみ は ちいさい。

A few notes:

• 湯飲み = ゆのみ
• は is written は but here pronounced わ
• 小さい = ちいさい

In normal Japanese writing, this would usually be written without spaces:

湯飲みは小さい。

What exactly is 湯飲み?

湯飲み means a teacup, especially a Japanese-style teacup, often without a handle.

The word is made from:

• 湯 = hot water
• 飲み = drinking / drinker part from 飲む meaning to drink

But in practice, it is best to learn 湯飲み as one vocabulary word meaning teacup.

What does は do in this sentence?