波霸
pho-pà
In Hokkien, the term for boba refers to the chewy tapioca pearls found in bubble tea.
The term refers specifically to the chewy tapioca pearls used in bubble tea drinks.
How do you pronounce it?
pho-pà
Did you know?
- The word 波霸 literally translates to 'big breasts' in many Chinese dialects, including Hokkien. This linguistic coincidence is why the term can sometimes cause unintended laughter or embarrassment in certain social contexts.
- The word 波霸 is used in Taiwan to describe 'extra-large' pearls, whereas the smaller pearls are often called 珍珠, meaning 'pearls'.
- The name 波霸 was originally chosen to highlight the physical scale of the large tapioca spheres rather than their flavor.
Examples in context
- 一杯波霸One cup of boba
Example conversation
Two friends are ordering drinks at a tea shop.
- 家豪 Ka-hao曉雯，你想欲喝什麼？Hiáu-bûn, lí sióng-beh he sián-mih?Xiao Wen, what do you want to drink?
- 曉雯 Hiau-bun我想欲喝奶茶加波霸。guá sióng-beh he nái-tê ka bo-pà.I want to drink milk tea with boba.
- 家豪 Ka-hao好，我也要加波霸。hó, guá iā beh ka bo-pà.Okay, I want to add boba too.
- 曉雯 Hiau-bun太好了，那我們一起買。thài hó-liáu, na-tō-án ík-kí bé.Great, let's buy them together.
