chai

See also: Chai, chái, chài, chāi, chǎi, and -chai

English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Romani ćhaj (“Romani girl, daughter”).

Noun

chai (plural chais)

1. A female gypsy.

   Coordinate term: chal

Alternative forms

• chie (obsolete)

Etymology 2

From Hindustani चाय / چائے (cāy, “tea”), from Classical Persian چَای (čāy) (and Turkish çay, and cognates) from Sinitic 茶 (chá). Doublet of cha and tea; see that page for extended history.

Pronunciation

• enPR: chī, IPA^(key): /t͡ʃaɪ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Homophone: Chi (Chichester)
• Rhymes: -aɪ

Noun

chai (usually uncountable, plural chais)

1. Ellipsis of masala chai, a beverage made with black teas, steamed milk and sweet spices, based loosely on Indian recipes.
   • 2023, Santanu Bhattacharya, One Small Voice, Fig Tree, page 350:

     ‘So much for making chai,ʼ she teases, but lets him do the rest of the work. He adds the tea leaves to the boiling milk, then strains the liquid into cups.

2. (India) Any tea beverage, but especially milk tea, regardless of whether it is spiced.
   • 2010 November 1, Jovan Jones, Dancing with the Avatar, Destiny Image Publishers, →ISBN:

     We were drinking some chai — the ashram version — watered down, boring, no spices, lots of water, just a smidgen of tea and even less milk.

   • 2016 July 1, Naeem Inayatullah, Elizabeth Dauphinee, Narrative Global Politics: Theory, History and the Personal in International Relations, Routledge, →ISBN, page 182:

     I fix myself a cup of chai - slightly strong black tea with just a touch of hot milk and no spices... the kind that Babuji would have liked on a morning like this — and sipping my chai, I walk barefoot on the moist grass in the backyard

   • 2018 October 9, Manali Singh, Vegetarian Indian Cooking with Your Instant Pot: 75 Traditional Recipes That Are Easier, Quicker and Healthier, Page Street Publishing, →ISBN:

     Everyone has a personal preference when it comes to chai - some people do not like any spices in their chai (just plain milk, water and tea) while others (like me!) cannot have their chai without spices.

Synonyms

• chai latte, chai tea, masala chai

Derived terms

• chaiwallah
• dirty chai

Related terms

• cha
• chai latte
• masala chai

Translations

spiced black tea — see masala chai

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Hebrew חַי (kháy, “alive”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xaɪ/

Noun

chai

2. (Judaism) A Jewish symbol representing life, traditionally worn as an amulet.
   • 1995 May 21, Steven Levy, “The Unabomber and David Gelernter”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN, archived from the original on 6 November 2020:

     Nothing hangs on the walls, though a stained-glass Hebrew chai leans against the window.

   • 2011 February 18, Mark Marino, “Kosher beef between two rappers”, in CNN‎^[2], archived from the original on 1 February 2023:

     Today, he [Drake] wears a diamond-studded Chai, a symbol of the Jewish word for life, and has his mother pressuring him to marry "a nice Jewish girl," according to Heeb magazine.

   • 2024, David Golinkin, quoting David Touboul, “Are Thee Ways Of Hidinng A Mezuzah In Times Of Danger?”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 4, page 207:

     Here in France, anti-Semitism is on the rise, and many Jews are hiding their identity in public so as not to be harmed. From what I hear and read, men and women are hiding their jewelry such as the Star of David or Chai, they do not speak about Israel loudly in the street, or men hide their kippah with a hat.

Alternative forms

• Chai, Hai, hai

Etymology 4

Borrowed from French chai, from Occitan.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃɛ/

Noun

chai (plural chais)

2. (winemaking) A place above ground for storing wine casks.
   • 2004, Clive Coates, The Wines of Bordeaux, University of California Press, →ISBN, page 302:

     The Kanon era lasted a mere 10 years, yet he had the château constructed, invested substantially in the vineyard and chais, and established the wine as one of the leading labels in the area.

Etymology 5

From Russian чай (čaj, “tea”). Doublet of cha and tea.

Noun

chai (uncountable)

2. (rare) Russian tea.
   • 1887 November 27, “Table Gossip”, in The Boston Sunday Globe, volume XXXII, number 150, Boston, Mass., →OCLC, page 13, column 4:

     They say in New York that the aristocracy of the Back Bay can talk nothing but Tolstoi and drink nothing but chai (Russian tea).

   • 2004 September 9, Shana Loshbaugh, “Entertaining saga stars Ninilchik elder”, in Homer News, volume 31, number 37, Homer, Alas., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 23A, column 3:

     A reader can imagine sitting at Walter’s kitchen table, a cup of chai (Russian tea) at hand, listening to the white-haired gentleman recalling events.

   • 2010, Charlynn Johns, “New Borders on the Map”, in A Good Reason to Go: Confessions, Conclusions and One-Sided Conversations, [Morrisville, N.C.]: [Lulu.com], →ISBN, page 139:

     But our team leader informed us that we were headed to the orphanage for chai (Russian tea).

Further reading

• chai on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• chai (symbol) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

See also

• chai poh

Anagrams

• achi, Achi, Chia, AHCI, chia

Caló

Etymology

Inherited from Romani ćhaj.

Noun

chai f (plural chais)

1. girl
2. (antiphrastic) harlot, prostitute

References

• “chai” in J. Tineo Rebolledo, A Chipicalli (La Llengua Gitana), Granada: Gómez de la Cruz, 1900, →OCLC, page 32.
• Francisco Quindalé (1867), “chai”, in Diccionario gitano‎^[3] (in Spanish), Madrid: Oficina Tipográfica del Hospicio
• “chai” in Vocabulario : Caló - Español, Portal del Flamenco y Universidad.

Cebuano

Noun

chai (Badlit spelling ᜆ᜔ᜐᜁ)

1. alternative form of tsay

   Synonyms: chay, tsai

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtsɑi̯/, [ˈts̠ɑ̝i̯]
• Rhymes: -ɑi
• Syllabification^(key): chai
• Hyphenation^(key): chai

Noun

chai (colloquial)

1. (jargon) clipping of chai latte (“chai latte”)

Declension

Inflection of chai (Kotus type 18/maa, no gradation)
nominative		chai	chait
genitive		chain	chaiden chaitten
partitive		chaita	chaita
illative		chaihin	chaihin
		singular	plural
nominative		chai	chait
accusative	nom.	chai	chait
	gen.	chain
genitive		chain	chaiden chaitten
partitive		chaita	chaita
inessive		chaissa	chaissa
elative		chaista	chaista
illative		chaihin	chaihin
adessive		chailla	chailla
ablative		chailta	chailta
allative		chaille	chaille
essive		chaina	chaina
translative		chaiksi	chaiksi
abessive		chaitta	chaitta
instructive		—	chain
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of chai (Kotus type 18/maa, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative chaini chaini accusative nom. chaini chaini gen. chaini genitive chaini chaideni chaitteni partitive chaitani chaitani inessive chaissani chaissani elative chaistani chaistani illative chaihini chaihini adessive chaillani chaillani ablative chailtani chailtani allative chailleni chailleni essive chainani chainani translative chaikseni chaikseni abessive chaittani chaittani instructive — — comitative — chaineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative chaisi chaisi accusative nom. chaisi chaisi gen. chaisi genitive chaisi chaidesi chaittesi partitive chaitasi chaitasi inessive chaissasi chaissasi elative chaistasi chaistasi illative chaihisi chaihisi adessive chaillasi chaillasi ablative chailtasi chailtasi allative chaillesi chaillesi essive chainasi chainasi translative chaiksesi chaiksesi abessive chaittasi chaittasi instructive — — comitative — chainesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative chaimme chaimme accusative nom. chaimme chaimme gen. chaimme genitive chaimme chaidemme chaittemme partitive chaitamme chaitamme inessive chaissamme chaissamme elative chaistamme chaistamme illative chaihimme chaihimme adessive chaillamme chaillamme ablative chailtamme chailtamme allative chaillemme chaillemme essive chainamme chainamme translative chaiksemme chaiksemme abessive chaittamme chaittamme instructive — — comitative — chainemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative chainne chainne accusative nom. chainne chainne gen. chainne genitive chainne chaidenne chaittenne partitive chaitanne chaitanne inessive chaissanne chaissanne elative chaistanne chaistanne illative chaihinne chaihinne adessive chaillanne chaillanne ablative chailtanne chailtanne allative chaillenne chaillenne essive chainanne chainanne translative chaiksenne chaiksenne abessive chaittanne chaittanne instructive — — comitative — chainenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative chainsa chainsa accusative nom. chainsa chainsa gen. chainsa genitive chainsa chaidensa chaittensa partitive chaitaan chaitansa chaitaan chaitansa inessive chaissaan chaissansa chaissaan chaissansa elative chaistaan chaistansa chaistaan chaistansa illative chaihinsa chaihinsa adessive chaillaan chaillansa chaillaan chaillansa ablative chailtaan chailtansa chailtaan chailtansa allative chailleen chaillensa chailleen chaillensa essive chainaan chainansa chainaan chainansa translative chaikseen chaiksensa chaikseen chaiksensa abessive chaittaan chaittansa chaittaan chaittansa instructive — — comitative — chaineen chainensa

French

Etymology 1

Via English chai from Urdu چائے (cāe), Hindi चाय (cāy, “tea”). Doublet of thé.

Alternative forms

• chaï, tchaï

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tʃaj/

Noun

chai m (plural chais)

1. masala chai (a tea drink)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Occitan [Term?].

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃɛ/
• Homophone: Chaix

Noun

chai m (plural chais)

1. wine cellar

   Synonym: cave à vin

   Mis en bouteille dans nos chais. ― Bottled in our wine cellars.

   • 1863, Frédéric Bastiat, “Sophismes économiques”, in Œuvres Complètes de Frédéric Bastiat‎^[4], volume 4:

     —Maudit grognard! Mais enfin, que voulez-vous faire de ce pauvre tonneau, la fleur de mon chai? Tenez, goûtez ce vin. Comme il est moelleux, corsé, étoffé, velouté, rubané!…

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Further reading

• “chai”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Hokkien

For pronunciation and definitions of chai – see 知 (“to know; to understand; to comprehend; to cause to know; to tell; to inform; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 知).

Mandarin

Romanization

chai

1. nonstandard spelling of chāi
2. nonstandard spelling of chái
3. nonstandard spelling of chǎi
4. nonstandard spelling of chài

Usage notes

• Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Maroon Spirit Language

Etymology

Likely from English carry. Compare Sranan Tongo tyari, Aukan tyai, Saramaccan tja, Jamaican Creole kyari.

Verb

chai

1. to carry
   • 1983, Kenneth M. Bilby, “How the "older heads" talk: a Jamaican Maroon spirit possession language and its relationship to the creoles of Suriname and Sierra Leone”, in New West Indian Guide, →ISSN, page 48:

     sumte tere nait, wen di suma kõ na pre, den suma waka o pas anda pre, suma o pas anda pre, o kisõ dat sonti so, chai dat sonti so, put na da sonti na yu no.

     Sometime tonight, when the person came to the place, then the person walked and passed that place, the person passed that place, he took that thing so, carried that thing so, put that thing by you now.

Navajo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [-t͡ʃʰɑ̀ɪ̀]

Noun

-chai (inalienable, e.g., shichai "my grandfather/grandson", bichai "her/his/their grandfather/grandson")

1. maternal grandfather, mother's father, grandson (from daughter), daughter's son

Norman

Alternative forms

• chaer (Guernsey)

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

chai f (uncountable)

1. (continental, Jersey) flesh

Palauan

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qahəlu (“pestle”). Compare Malay alu (“pestle”).

Noun

chai

1. pestle

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qalu (“barracuda”). Compare Malay alu-alu (“barracuda”).

Noun

chai

1. barracuda

References

• chai in Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary, at tekinged.com.
• chai in Palauan-English Dictionary, at trussel2.com.
• chai in Lewis S. Josephs; Edwin G. McManus; Masa-aki Emesiochel (1977), Palauan-English Dictionary, University Press of Hawaii, →ISBN, page 34.

Swahili

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Persian چای (čāy)

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

chai class IX (plural chai class X)

1. tea
2. (Tanzania) breakfast

   Synonyms: chakula cha asubuhi, staftahi, (Kenya) kiamsha kinywa, (Tanzania) kifungua kinywa

3. (slang, Kenya) tea money, small bribe, petty bribe (likened to the cost, and function, of a cup of tea)

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:rushwa

Derived terms

• chai ya rangi
• chai kavu
• mchai

Tày

Pronunciation

• (Thạch An – Tràng Định) IPA^(key): [caːj˧˧]
• (Trùng Khánh) IPA^(key): [caːj˦˥]

Etymology 1

Noun

chai

1. bottle

   chai lẩu ― bottle of wine

Etymology 2

Compare Thai เจ (jee).

Verb

chai

1. to fast

   chai tón nâng ― to fast for one meal

Adjective

chai (⿻斋丷)

1. vegan, especially in the Buddhist style

   kin chai ― to go vegan

   否容易𫩒{⿻斋丷}地下

   Bấu doòng dỉ kin chai tỉ giả

   It's not easy to be a vegan on Earth.

2. in an ordinary, even lackluster, way

   kin khẩu chai ― to eat plain rice

3. old, specifically past something's developmental phase

   mảy khửn chai

   bamboo shoots that grow even when it's too old to grow

References

• Hoàng Văn Ma; Lục Văn Pảo; Hoàng Chí (2006), Từ điển Tày-Nùng-Việt [Tay-Nung-Vietnamese dictionary] (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Từ điển Bách khoa Hà Nội
• Lương Bèn (2011), Từ điển Tày-Việt [Tay-Vietnamese dictionary]‎^[5][6] (in Vietnamese), Thái Nguyên: Nhà Xuất bản Đại học Thái Nguyên
• Dương Nhật Thanh; Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003), Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày]‎^[7] (in Tày and Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học xã hội [Social Sciences Publishing House]

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕaːj˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕaːj˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [caːj˧˧]
• Homophone: trai

Etymology 1

Noun

(classifier cái) chai • (𥑂)

1. a bottle
2. (slang) one million dongs

   Synonym: củ

Descendants

• → Eastern Mnong: čai
• → Tai Dam: ꪊꪱꪥ

Etymology 2

Adjective

chai

1. (of skin) callous

   vết chai ― a callus

   bị chai tay ― to have calluses on one's hand

   chai sạn ― callous; apathetic

2. (of a battery) spent

   pin bị chai rồi ― the battery's no good anymore (won't hold a charge)

Anagrams

• chia

Ye'kwana

Variant orthographies

ALIV	chai
Brazilian standard	chai
New Tribes	chai

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡ʃaj]

Suffix

chai

1. allomorph of tai used after words that end in i
2. allomorph of kwai used after words that end in i