cha

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

English

Etymology

From Hindi चा / Urdu چا (cā), from Persian چا, from Sinitic 茶.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /tʃɑː/

Noun

cha (uncountable)

1. The drink made by infusing the dried leaves or buds of the tea plant in hot water, often served with milk or cream and sugar added.

   Would you like a cup of cha?

Related terms

• chai

Synonyms

• tea

Anagrams

• ach, cah, HAC

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Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish nícon.

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.

Related terms

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

Synonyms

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

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Japanese

Romanization

cha

1. rōmaji reading of ちゃ
2. rōmaji reading of チャ

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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.

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Manx

Etymology 1

From Old Irish nícon.

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.

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Navajo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡ʃʰɑ̀]

Noun

cha

1. crying

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Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From Old Irish nícon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xa/

Particle

cha

1. not

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

   Cha toigh leam caise. - 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.

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Swahili

Etymology

From ki- + -a

Particle

cha

1. of (class 7 nouns)

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)

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Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): /ṯɕaː˧˧/
• (Huế) IPA^(key): /ṯɕaː˧˧/
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): /c̻aː˧˥/

Noun

cha

1. father, dad

See also

• bố
• ba
• cậu
• thầy
• tía