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茶 · Hokkien (Amoy)
noun · Hokkien (Amoy)
Reading: tay
Tea. Tea: the plant, its prepared leaves, and the drink made from them. This stage selects the Amoy/Hokkien tê reading of 茶; the same character has different readings in other Chinese varieties.
c. 1600s — Approximate historical context. This is the European trade-contact period for the selected Hokkien borrowing account, not the beginning of 茶 or of its Hokkien reading. Possible Malay mediation remains qualified.
Min Nan reference region / Fujian — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
茶 (tê), Hokkien (Amoy): Tea. The Amoy form is the source identified for Dutch thee. English > Etymology 1, prose account
tê → thee: borrowing. The Amoy-to-Dutch connection is also described by WALS. English > Etymology 1, prose account
茶 includes the tea plant, its leaves and the infused drink; the selected Hokkien reading is tê. Chinese > Pronunciation > Hokkien tê; Definitions
The selected reading of 茶 is /te²⁴/ (Present-day Amoy/Hokkien, tê reading). Chinese > Pronunciation > Hokkien tê > Xiamen
Van der Sijs suggests Indonesian mediation into Dutch. §4.1.5 > Dranken, pp. 378–379; thee row and following discussion
茶: c. 1600s — historical context. Historical discussion of European adoption and Dutch contacts at Amoy
茶 is classified as noun for this Hokkien (Amoy) stage. 茶 > 釋義, senses 1–2 (名詞)
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point minn1241. LanguageTable row minn1241; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
thee · Dutch
noun · Dutch
Reading: TAY
Tea. Tea, including the infused drink. The older spelling tee is also recorded. Dutch is the intermediary in this selected English borrowing account; possible Malay mediation is discussed in the evidence.
1637 · recorded — This is the date listed by the chronological dictionary, not the arrival of tea as a commodity.
Low Countries — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
thee is the Dutch form in Wiktionary’s chain. The independent trading-contact account is attributed separately to WALS. English > Etymology 1, prose account
Dutch traders adopted thee through their contacts in Amoy. Chapter 138, paragraph beginning “The Dutch traders”
tê → thee: borrowing. The Amoy-to-Dutch connection is also described by WALS. English > Etymology 1, prose account
thee → tea: borrowing. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology 1, prose account
Dutch thee names tea; de thee can also name a tea break or meeting. The entry derives it from Hokkien tê. Dutch > Etymology; Noun
The selected reading of thee is /teː/ (Present-day Dutch). Dutch > Pronunciation
thee: 1637 · recorded. §4.1.5 > Dranken, pp. 378–379; thee row and following discussion
Van der Sijs suggests Indonesian mediation into Dutch. §4.1.5 > Dranken, pp. 378–379; thee row and following discussion
thee is classified as noun for this Dutch stage. Dutch > Etymology; Noun
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point dutc1256. LanguageTable row dutc1256; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).
tea · English
noun · English
Reading: TEE
The infused drink. The infused drink, with further uses for other plant infusions and a meal or gathering. Its TEE vowel differs from Dutch thee through a later sound change. The 1655 evidence does not date all these meanings.
c. 1655 — Wiktionary reports an approximate early English attestation in Semedo’s translated writings. Merriam-Webster also gives 1655, for its prepared-leaves sense.
English reference region / Britain — Approximate Glottolog language reference point. Not a word origin, borrowing location or historical border.
tea (tea), English: The infused drink. This journey covers the drink; the slang sense and unrelated homographs are separate. English > Etymology 1, prose account; English noun/verb definitions for the displayed sense
thee → tea: borrowing. The source identifies this connection. English > Etymology 1, prose account
English tea: c. 1655. Wiktionary reports an approximate early English attestation in Semedo’s translated writings. English > Etymology 1, opening sentence (circa 1655)
A drink made by steeping prepared leaves or buds of the tea plant in hot water. The word also names the leaves, the plant, and an individual serving. English > Noun
The selected reading of tea is /tiː/ (Present-day British English). English > Pronunciation
Merriam-Webster also records English tea in 1655. Word History > First Known Use
tea is classified as noun for this English stage. English > Noun
English tea also names infusions of other plants and a meal, refreshments or a gathering associated with tea. The 1655 date is linked to prepared leaves. Noun > senses 3–4; Word History > First Known Use
Dahl explains the English tea vowel through a wider sound change and notes surviving tay-like pronunciations. Dutch contacts at Amoy explain this branch. Chapter 138 > historical discussion of Dutch and English te forms
Regional orientation uses Glottolog’s reference point stan1293. LanguageTable row stan1293; Latitude, Longitude (rounded where needed).