Word
chai
/ˈtʃaɪ/
Definitions
01spiced tea
n. a sweet, spiced tea made with milk, originally from India.
n. a beverage made by brewing black tea with a mixture of aromatic spices and herbs, typically served with milk and sweetener.
“I ordered a hot chai with almond milk at the café this morning.”
“The barista prepared a traditional chai by simmering black tea leaves with cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger before adding steamed milk.”
Usage
Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the liquid, but countable when ordering a single serving.
Synonyms
02tea in general
n. the word for tea in many parts of the world, especially India.
n. the generic term for tea in various languages, particularly in South Asia and parts of the Middle East.
“While traveling in India, we stopped for a cup of chai at a roadside stall.”
“In many Indian households, offering a guest a cup of chai is a fundamental gesture of hospitality.”
Dialect
Teaching tip
Learners should note that while 'chai' means 'tea' in many languages, in English it almost always refers specifically to the spiced variety.
Synonyms
03Jewish symbol
n. a Jewish symbol that represents the word 'life'.
n. a Hebrew symbol and word meaning 'life', frequently worn as a pendant or used in Jewish art.
“She wore a gold chai necklace that her grandmother had given her.”
“The chai symbol is central to Jewish culture, appearing frequently in toasts and as a decorative motif on ritual objects.”
Technical
Etymology
Borrowed from Romani ćhaj (“Romani girl, daughter”).
From Hindustani चाय / چائے (cāy, “tea”), from Classical Persian چَای (čāy) (and Turkish çay, and cognates) from Sinitic 茶 (chá). Doublet of cha and tea; see that page for extended history.
Borrowed from Hebrew חַי (kháy, “alive”).
Borrowed from French chai, from Occitan.
From Russian чай (čaj, “tea”). Doublet of cha and tea.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/chai