Yum Cha
/ˌjʌm ˈtʃɑː/noun
A Cantonese meal or social gathering centered on drinking tea and often eating dim sum.
Did you know?Yum cha began as tea-house culture in southern China, where travelers and locals gathered to drink tea; dim sum later became its iconic companion.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Old Chinese
茶
“Tea; the ancient Chinese character and root behind later forms meaning tea.”
Tang Dynasty
Middle Chinese
茶
“Tea, pronounced through a form commonly reconstructed as similar to cha.”
Medieval–Modern China
Cantonese
飲茶 (jam cha)
“Drink tea; 飲 means drink and 茶 means tea.”
19th Century
Cantonese English
yum cha
“A Cantonese expression for drinking tea, especially in tea houses.”
Modern English
English
yum cha
“A Cantonese-style meal or gathering featuring tea and commonly dim sum.”