# cha

/ˈtʃɑ/ (US) · /tʃˈɑː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cha
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. tea

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

an informal word for tea, often used in British English or to refer to spiced Indian tea.

For teachers: a colloquial term for tea, derived from the Chinese 'chá'; frequently used in British military or working-class contexts and as a synonym for masala chai.

- After a long day of hiking, nothing beats a hot cup of cha by the fire.
- The sergeant major insisted on a quick break for a cup of cha before the company resumed their drills in the midday heat.

### 2. dance steps

particle · CEFR B2

a word used to count the rhythm in Latin dances like the cha-cha-cha.

For teachers: a rhythmic particle used to mark the syncopated steps in Latin American ballroom dances, specifically the cha-cha-cha.

- The instructor shouted 'one, two, cha-cha-cha' to help the students keep the beat.
- The dancers executed the triple-step sequence with precision, their hips swaying in perfect time to the 'cha-cha-cha' rhythm of the mambo.

## Examples

- Would you like a cup of cha?
- After a long day of hiking, we stopped at a small roadside stall for a hot cup of cha.
- The term cha remains a linguistic relic of the early tea trade, persisting in certain British dialects and military slang as a familiar alternative to the standard word.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.