Bohea

[boh-hee]

noun

1. an inferior grade of black tea.

bohea

/ bəʊˈhiː /

noun

1. a black Chinese tea, once regarded as the choicest, but now as an inferior grade

Word History and Origins

Origin of bohea¹

1695–1705; < dialectal Chinese (Fujian) Bu-i, mountains on the border of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, where the tea is grown

Word History and Origins

Origin of bohea¹

C18: from Chinese (Fukien dialect) bu-i , from Mandarin Chinese Wu-i Shan range of hills on which this tea was grown

Example Sentences

At Barrett’s apothecary, Eliza purchased jalap and Bohea tea.

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Bohea tea, an inferior kind of black tea.

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The black teas usually imported from Canton are the bohea, congou, souchong, and pekoe, according to our orthography: the French missionaries spelt them as follows: boui, camphou or campoui, saotchaon, and pekao or peko.

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His threats are vain, and vain to think To force our girls and wives to drink His vile Bohea!

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Theoretically, I was attached to Sir John French's invading army; in fact, I perambulated the ground occupied by both armies with perfect freedom; and, since it soon became plain that my illuminating remarks would be capable of reaching General Wynne, who was defending England, at the same time as "the rolls and Bohea"—to quote the old Spectator—it became manifest at the same time that the less said about military matters the better.

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