teh (Indonesian)

Where does "teh" come from?

The Indonesian word 'teh' traces its origins back to the Hokkien dialect of Chinese, where it is known as 'tê'. It eventually entered the Malay language as a direct loanword before becoming the standard term for tea in Indonesian. This simple word highlights the global influence of Hokkien trade on the language surrounding one of the world's most popular beverages.

Full etymology tree

• teh (Indonesian), 'tea (plant; Camellia sinensis)'
  • inherited teh (Malay), 'Tea:'
    • borrowed 茶 (tê) (Hokkien)

Ancestors

• teh (Malay)

Descendants and derived words

• teh hitam (Indonesian)
• teh merah (Indonesian)
• teh merah (Indonesian)
• teh obeng (Indonesian)
• teh pahit (Indonesian)
• teh tarik (Indonesian)
• teh tawar (Indonesian)

Updated June 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris