bubble tea

American  

[buhb-uhl tee] / ˈbʌb əl ˌti /

noun

1. a frothy East Asian beverage consisting of sweetened tea with milk or flavorings, usually served over black pellets, or pearls, of tapioca.

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bubble tea British  

noun

1. a cold drink, originally from Taiwan, of tea infused with fruit flavouring, shaken to produce bubbles, and served over tapioca pearls in a clear cup. It is usually drunk through a very wide straw

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Usage

What does bubble tea mean? Bubble tea, also known as boba, is a Taiwanese drink of tea infused with milk or fruit and served over tapioca balls, called bubbles or boba.How is bubble tea pronounced?[ buhb-uhl tee ]

Etymology

Origin of bubble tea

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Against that backdrop, Alibaba and JD.com have stepped up investments in the highly competitive food delivery market, trying to find new avenues of growth and tap pockets of consumer demand for cheap, comforting purchases like bubble tea.

From The Wall Street Journal

The bubble tea shop has drinks named after different New York City neighborhoods, offers multiple tea and juice bases, as well as dairy alternatives.

From Salon

That’s evident in wildfire sales of Labubu dolls, jewelry and bubble tea, trends that have minted big bucks for the companies behind them.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I used to spend ¥30 on bubble tea every day,” says cafe regular Wang Bo.

From Barron's

The security guard reclaimed his chair, sipping on a milky bubble tea.

From Slate