bubble tea

American  

[buhb-uhl tee] / ˈbʌb əl ˌti /

noun

bubble teas plural

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 ]

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bubble teas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bubble tea

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

At the same time, Chinese companies are making a big play for the U.S. consumer when it comes to systemically unimportant stuff, like bubble tea and linen pants.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

For Helena Nicoleti, 8, who wore a T-shirt featuring a capybara drinking bubble tea to the zoo, seeing Kiwi was a highlight, along with the lion and the Mexican axolotl.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

Research in Taiwan found that by age nine, children who drank bubble tea regularly were 1.7 times more likely to develop cavities in their permanent teeth.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

Alibaba 9988 -0.45%decrease; red down pointing triangle has committed more than $430 million to a campaign offering free bubble tea and other items to users who order food through its Qwen chatbot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

“It’s going to take longer than one helping of bubble tea to explain the intricacies of the TARDIS,” I say.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan