tea

/tiː/ Chinese Origin Food & Drink

Original Word

茶

Amoy Hokkien (tê) / Mandarin (chá)

Entered English

Mid 17th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "tea"

From Amoy Hokkien 'tê' (茶), brought to Europe by Dutch traders in the 17th century. The Mandarin form 'chá' gave rise to 'chai' used in many languages. The word spread globally through maritime trade routes.

Example Usage

"Would you like a cup of tea?"

All Chinese Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

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