# cha

> English word · Noun · IPA /t͡ʃɑː/ · frequency rank #11,179

## Definitions
1. Tea, (sometimes dialect) specifically masala chai.

## Etymology
From Chinese 茶 (chá), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-la, via two routes: in some cases from Hindustani चा (cā) / چا (cā) (a variant of the same root, from Persian چا, which led to chai), from Northern Chinese; in other cases from 茶 (chá) /t͡sʰɑː²¹/, the pronunciation found in Canton (Guangzhou), where the British bought much of their tea in the 19th century. Doublet of tea, which is from the Amoy Min Nan pronunciation tê.

## Easily confused with
- **co** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-co)
- **CM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cm)
- **CT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-ct)
- **CR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cr)
- **cs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cs)
- **Cl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cl)
- **cp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cp)
- **CV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cv)
- **CU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cu)
- **CW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cw)
- **ci** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-ci)
- **CJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cj)
- **CX** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cx)
- **cz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cz)
- **CQ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cq)
- **cut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cut)
- **cup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cup)
- **cry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cry)
- **cop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cop)
- **CNN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cha-vs-cnn)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cha