cha

See also: CHA, chá, chà, chā, chả, chǎ, -cha, and -chá

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tʃɑː/

Etymology 1

From Chinese 茶 (chá), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-la, via two routes: in some cases from Hindi चा (cā) / Urdu چا‎ (cā) (a variant of the same root, from Persian چا‎, which led to chai), from Northern Chinese; in other cases from 茶 /t͡sʰɑː²¹/, the pronunciation found in Canton (Guangzhou), where the British bought much of their tea in the 19th century. Doublet of tea, which is from the Amoy Min Nan pronunciation tê.

Noun

cha (uncountable)

1. tea

   Would you like a cup of cha?

Synonyms

• tea

Related terms

• chai
• char

Etymology 2

Eye dialect spelling of you, especially when preceded by a t sound.

Pronoun

cha

1. (dialectal, nonstandard) You.
   • 1976, Flying Magazine, page 34

     You mean you can't fly after you've had a few beers? You can drive, can't cha?

   • 2005, “Don't Cha”, performed by Pussycat Dolls:

     Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?

   • 2008, Barbara L. Jent, The Weddin' Day, Barbara Jent →ISBN, page 157

     “You'll be ridin' with us, won't cha, Josh?”

Derived terms

• dincha
• doncha
• gotcha

Etymology 3

From cha-cha (q.v.)

Particle

cha

1. (dancing) Used to count out steps, particularly involving the hip-shaking sections of rhythmic Latin dances

   One–two–cha–cha–cha
   Three–four–cha–cha–cha

Etymology 4

From the McCune-Reischauer romanization of Korean 자 (ja).

Noun

cha (plural chas or cha)

1. (Korean units of measure) Synonym of Korean foot: a traditional unit of length equivalent to about 30.3 cm.

Anagrams

• ACH, CAH, HAC, HCA, ach, cah

---

Alemannic German

Verb

cha

1. (Uri) Alternative form of choo (“to come”)

Conjugation

    conjugation of cha – Urner dialect

infinitive		cha
past participle		cha
		singular			plural
		1st person ich, i	2nd person du	3rd person er/si/es	1st person mir	2nd person ir	3rd person si
indicative	present	chuume	chunsch	chunt	chemme	chemmet	chemme
subjunctive	present	chemm, chemmi	chemmesch	chemm, chemmi	chemme	chemmet	chemme
	past	chëm, chëmi, chëmt, chëmti, chiem, chiemi	chëmesch, chëmtesch, chiemesch	chëm, chëmi, chëmt, chëmti, chiem, chiemi	chëme, chëmte, chieme	chëmet, chëmtet, chieme	chëme, chëmte, chieme
imperative	affirmative	—	chu	—	—	chemmet	—

References

• Abegg, Emil, (1911) Die Mundart von Urseren (Beiträge zur Schweizerdeutschen Grammatik. IV.) [The Dialect of Urseren], Frauenfeld: Huber & co., page 86.

---

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish níco(n), noco(n), nocho(n), nocha(n), from Old Irish nícon, nacon, from ní con.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xa/

Particle

cha (Triggers lenition of b, c, f, g, m, p, s. Triggers eclipsis of d, t.)

1. (Ulster) not

   Cha phósann sí é. ― She will not marry him.

   Cha dtugaim. ― I do not give, I will not give.

Usage notes

Used only in some varieties of Ulster Irish. Not used with the future tense; a future meaning can be conveyed by using it with the present tense.

Synonyms

• ní (used in Munster Irish, Connacht Irish, and some varieties of Ulster Irish)

Related terms

• chan (used before vowel sounds)
• char (used before the past tense)

References

• "cha" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
• “nícon” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

---

Japanese

Romanization

cha

1. Rōmaji transcription of ちゃ
2. Rōmaji transcription of チャ

---

Kapampangan

Noun

cha

1. tea

---

Mandarin

Romanization

cha

1. Nonstandard spelling of chā.
2. Nonstandard spelling of chá.
3. Nonstandard spelling of chǎ.
4. Nonstandard spelling of chà.

Usage notes

• English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

---

Manx

Etymology 1

From Middle Irish níco(n), noco(n), nocho(n), nocha(n), from Old Irish nícon, nacon, from ní con.

Particle

cha

1. not

   Cha bee'n poosey ayn. ― The marriage will not take place.

   Cha vel blass er. ― It has no taste.

Usage notes

• Used with the dependent form of a verb. With the copula, the verb may be suppressed.
• Becomes chan before a vowel.

Etymology 2

Adverb

cha

1. Alternative form of cho

References

• “nícon” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

---

Navajo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡ʃʰɑ̀]

Noun

cha

1. crying, weeping

---

Pali

Pali cardinal numbers

<  5	6	7  >
Cardinal : cha     Ordinal : chaṭṭha

Alternative forms

Alternative forms

• 𑀙 (Brahmi script)
• छ (Devanagari script)
• ছ (Bengali script)
• ඡ (Sinhalese script)
• ဆ (Burmese script)
• ฉ (Thai script)
• ᨨ (Tai Tham script)
• ឆ (Khmer script)

Numeral

cha

1. (cardinal) six

---

Pipil

Pronunciation

• (standard) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃa/

Verb

-cha

1. Clipping of -chiwa.

---

Romansch

Conjunction

cha

1. (Puter, Vallader) that

Alternative forms

• (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan) che
• (Sutsilvan) ca, c'
• (Surmiran) tgi

Pronoun

cha

1. (Puter, Vallader) who, whom

Alternative forms

• (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan) che
• (Sutsilvan) tge
• (Surmiran) tgi

---

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Middle Irish níco(n), noco(n), nocho(n), nocha(n), from Old Irish nícon, nacon, from ní con.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xa/

Particle

cha

1. not

   Cha robh bean aig Iain. ― Iain didn't have a wife.

   Cha toigh leam càise. ― I don't like cheese.

Usage notes

• Used with the dependent form of a verb. With the copula, the verb may be suppressed.
• Becomes chan before a vowel.

References

• “nícon” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.

---

Swahili

Verb

-cha (infinitive kucha)

1. to dawn, (of the sun) to rise

   Antonym: -chwa

2. to fear, be afraid

Usage notes

In Standard Swahili, the sense "to fear" is used of reverential fear, generally fearing God. However, in the Mombasa dialect, it is used as a synonym of -ogopa.

Conjugation

Conjugation of -cha
Non-finite forms
Form					Positive							Negative
Infinitive					kucha							kutokucha
Simple finite forms
Positive form					Singular							Plural
Imperative					kucha							kucheni
Habitual					hucha
Complex finite forms
Polarity	Persons				Persons / Classes		Classes
	1st		2nd		3rd / M-wa		M-mi		Ma		Ki-vi		N		U	Ku	Pa	Mu
	Sg.	Pl.	Sg.	Pl.	Sg. / 1	Pl. / 2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11 / 14	15 / 17	16	18
Past Positive nilikucha nalikucha tulikucha twalikucha ulikucha walikucha mlikucha mwalikucha alikucha walikucha ulikucha ilikucha lilikucha yalikucha kilikucha vilikucha ilikucha zilikucha ulikucha kulikucha palikucha mulikucha Relative niliokucha naliokucha tuliokucha twaliokucha uliokucha waliokucha mliokucha mwaliokucha aliokucha waliokucha uliokucha iliokucha liliokucha yaliokucha kiliokucha viliokucha iliokucha ziliokucha uliokucha kuliokucha paliokucha muliokucha Negative sikucha hatukucha hukucha hamkucha hakucha hawakucha haukucha haikucha halikucha hayakucha hakikucha havikucha haikucha hazikucha haukucha hakukucha hapakucha hamukucha
Present Positive ninakucha nakucha tunakucha unakucha mnakucha anakucha wanakucha unakucha inakucha linakucha yanakucha kinakucha vinakucha inakucha zinakucha unakucha kunakucha panakucha munakucha Relative ninaokucha naokucha tunaokucha unaokucha mnaokucha anaokucha wanaokucha unaokucha inaokucha linaokucha yanaokucha kinaokucha vinaokucha inaokucha zinaokucha unaokucha kunaokucha panaokucha munaokucha Negative sikuchi hatukuchi hukuchi hamkuchi hakuchi hawakuchi haukuchi haikuchi halikuchi hayakuchi hakikuchi havikuchi haikuchi hazikuchi haukuchi hakukuchi hapakuchi hamukuchi
Future Positive nitakucha tutakucha utakucha mtakucha atakucha watakucha utakucha itakucha litakucha yatakucha kitakucha vitakucha itakucha zitakucha utakucha kutakucha patakucha mutakucha Relative nitakaokucha tutakaokucha utakaokucha mtakaokucha atakaokucha watakaokucha utakaokucha itakaokucha litakaokucha yatakaokucha kitakaokucha vitakaokucha itakaokucha zitakaokucha utakaokucha kutakaokucha patakaokucha mutakaokucha Negative sitakucha hatutakucha hutakucha hamtakucha hatakucha hawatakucha hautakucha haitakucha halitakucha hayatakucha hakitakucha havitakucha haitakucha hazitakucha hautakucha hakutakucha hapatakucha hamutakucha
Subjunctive Positive niche tuche uche mche ache wache uche iche liche yache kiche viche iche ziche uche kuche pache muche Negative nisiche tusiche usiche msiche asiche wasiche usiche isiche lisiche yasiche kisiche visiche isiche zisiche usiche kusiche pasiche musiche
Present Conditional Positive ningekucha tungekucha ungekucha mngekucha angekucha wangekucha ungekucha ingekucha lingekucha yangekucha kingekucha vingekucha ingekucha zingekucha ungekucha kungekucha pangekucha mungekucha Negative nisingekucha singekucha tusingekucha hatungekucha usingekucha hungekucha msingekucha hamngekucha asingekucha hangekucha wasingekucha hawangekucha usingekucha haungekucha isingekucha haingekucha lisingekucha halingekucha yasingekucha hayangekucha kisingekucha hakingekucha visingekucha havingekucha isingekucha haingekucha zisingekucha hazingekucha usingekucha haungekucha kusingekucha hakungekucha pasingekucha hapangekucha musingekucha hamungekucha
Past Conditional Positive ningalikucha tungalikucha ungalikucha mngalikucha angalikucha wangalikucha ungalikucha ingalikucha lingalikucha yangalikucha kingalikucha vingalikucha ingalikucha zingalikucha ungalikucha kungalikucha pangalikucha mungalikucha Negative nisingalikucha singalikucha tusingalikucha hatungalikucha usingalikucha hungalikucha msingalikucha hamngalikucha asingalikucha hangalikucha wasingalikucha hawangalikucha usingalikucha haungalikucha isingalikucha haingalikucha lisingalikucha halingalikucha yasingalikucha hayangalikucha kisingalikucha hakingalikucha visingalikucha havingalikucha isingalikucha haingalikucha zisingalikucha hazingalikucha usingalikucha haungalikucha kusingalikucha hakungalikucha pasingalikucha hapangalikucha musingalikucha hamungalikucha
Conditional Contrary to Fact Positive ningelikucha tungelikucha ungelikucha mngelikucha angelikucha wangelikucha ungelikucha ingelikucha lingelikucha yangelikucha kingelikucha vingelikucha ingelikucha zingelikucha ungelikucha kungelikucha pangelikucha mungelikucha
General Relative Positive nichao tuchao uchao mchao achao wachao uchao ichao lichao yachao kichao vichao ichao zichao uchao kuchao pachao muchao Negative nisiokucha tusiokucha usiokucha msiokucha asiokucha wasiokucha usiokucha isiokucha lisiokucha yasiokucha kisiokucha visiokucha isiokucha zisiokucha usiokucha kusiokucha pasiokucha musiokucha
Gnomic Positive nacha twacha wacha mwacha acha wacha wacha yacha lacha yacha chacha vyacha yacha zacha wacha kwacha pacha mwacha
Perfect Positive nimekucha tumekucha umekucha mmekucha amekucha wamekucha umekucha imekucha limekucha yamekucha kimekucha vimekucha imekucha zimekucha umekucha kumekucha pamekucha mumekucha
"Already" Positive nimeshakucha tumeshakucha umeshakucha mmeshakucha ameshakucha wameshakucha umeshakucha imeshakucha limeshakucha yameshakucha kimeshakucha vimeshakucha imeshakucha zimeshakucha umeshakucha kumeshakucha pameshakucha mumeshakucha
"Not yet" Negative sijacha hatujacha hujacha hamjacha hajacha hawajacha haujacha haijacha halijacha hayajacha hakijacha havijacha haijacha hazijacha haujacha hakujacha hapajacha hamujacha
"If/When" Positive nikicha tukicha ukicha mkicha akicha wakicha ukicha ikicha likicha yakicha kikicha vikicha ikicha zikicha ukicha kukicha pakicha mukicha
"If not" Negative nisipokucha tusipokucha usipokucha msipokucha asipokucha wasipokucha usipokucha isipokucha lisipokucha yasipokucha kisipokucha visipokucha isipokucha zisipokucha usipokucha kusipokucha pasipokucha musipokucha
Consecutive Positive nikacha tukacha ukacha mkacha akacha wakacha ukacha ikacha likacha yakacha kikacha vikacha ikacha zikacha ukacha kukacha pakacha mukacha
Not all possible forms are listed in the table. Transitive verbs can take object concords, relative concords can agree with all noun classes, and many other forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Applicative: -chea
  • Passive: -chewa

Particle

cha

1. Ki class inflected form of -a.

Usage notes

1. The particle follows class 7 nouns to form a genitival relation of a noun that follows it, often corresponding to of or 's:

   kitabu cha mtoto ― child's book

   kiini cha yai ― egg yolk

   (lit. center of egg)

---

Swazi

Interjection

cha

1. no

---

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕaː˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕaː˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [caː˧˧]

Noun

cha (乍, 吒, 𤕔)

1. (dated or literary or Catholicism) a father
2. (Southern Vietnam, humorous) a dude

   Synonym: bố

   Thôi dẹp đi cha!

   Oh puh-lease, stop it, dude!

Pronoun

cha

1. (dated or literary) I/me, your father
2. (dated or literary) you, my father
3. (Catholicism) you, father

Derived terms

• cha nội
• thằng cha

See also

• chả
• ba
• bọ
• bố
• cậu
• thầy
• tía

Further reading

• "cha" in Hồ Ngọc Đức, Free Vietnamese Dictionary Project (details)

---

Welsh

Verb

cha

1. Aspirate mutation of ca.

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
ca	ga	ngha	cha
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

---

Zulu

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ǀʰá/

Interjection

cha

1. no

   Synonym: qha

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “cha”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “cha (2)”