Illustration
This map illustrates the global spread of tea and its many names, tracing how two primary root words—“cha” and “te”—originated in China and dispersed across cultures through trade. The linguistic patterns reveal how tea’s journey followed both land routes like the Silk Road and maritime networks, particularly during the age of European exploration.
The term “cha” spread via overland trade, especially across Central Asia and the Islamic world, while “te” traveled with Dutch maritime merchants who introduced tea to Europe in the 17th century. Interestingly, in regions where tea is indigenous, such as parts of South Asia and East Africa, local names for tea developed independently of Chinese influence. This map captures not just the commodity’s movement, but also how language traces its global path.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2022, April 14). Map of the Movement of "Tea" & "Cha" Around the Globe. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14112/map-of-the-movement-of-tea--cha-around-the-globe/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Movement of "Tea" & "Cha" Around the Globe." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 14, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14112/map-of-the-movement-of-tea--cha-around-the-globe/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Movement of "Tea" & "Cha" Around the Globe." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 14 Apr 2022, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14112/map-of-the-movement-of-tea--cha-around-the-globe/. Web. 16 Jun 2025.
