boba

American  

[boh-buh] / ˈboʊ bə /

noun

1. Also boba tea bubble tea.

2. (often used with a plural verb) large, round pearls of tapioca, usually boiled in a sweetened syrup and served in bubble tea.

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Etymology

Origin of boba

First recorded in 1995–2000; said to be from a dialectal Chinese source akin to Cantonese bo baa or Mandarin bōbà “tapioca pearl,” colloquially, “big-breasted woman,” equivalent to Cantonese bo “ball, breast” (from English ball ¹ ( def. ) ) + baa “overlord, tyrant”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

boba

Their customers comment in the livestream’s chat, order hundreds of products during a session, and sometimes send tips and the occasional boba.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

“They’re competing with boba tea houses,” she said.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

If you want to add boba or other types of toppings, or make it a protein-based drink, you can.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026

He hopes Mixue’s presence in the U.S. might raise the profile of boba here and encourage more people to “expand their palette” and try local shops.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 24, 2026

I would have loved to have known about anpan and mochi and boba tea when I was a kid.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman