ชานมไข่มุก
chaa-nom-kài-múk/t͡ɕʰaː˧.nom˧.kʰaj˨˩.muk̚˦˥/
In Thai, bubble tea is called ชานมไข่มุก (chaa-nom-kài-múk). Wiktionary also lists ชาไข่มุก (chaa-kài-múk).
Meaning: milk tea with tapioca balls (noun)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ชานมไข่มุก | chaa-nom-kài-múk | /t͡ɕʰaː˧.nom˧.kʰaj˨˩.muk̚˦˥/ |
| ชาไข่มุก | chaa-kài-múk | /t͡ɕʰaː˧.kʰaj˨˩.muk̚˦˥/ |
The term refers to milk tea served with tapioca pearls.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ชานมไข่มุก breaks down into ชา (tea), นม (milk) and ไข่มุก (pearl/bubble).
Which one should you use?
While ชานมไข่มุก explicitly translates to milk pearl tea, you may also see ชาไข่มุก, which means pearl tea. In casual conversation, these two are often used interchangeably even if the milk component is not explicitly stated.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word ใส่ means to put or add, used in the informal phrase ชานมใส่ไข่มุก to indicate the pearls have been added to the tea.
How do you pronounce it?
chaa-nom-kài-múk
Did you know?
- The word ไข่ in ไข่มุก literally means 'egg'. This creates a compound word where 'pearl' is envisioned as an 'egg of the ocean'.
- Thai bubble tea culture often blends traditional Thai tea ชาไทย (cha Thai) with pearls. This creates a bright orange drink that differs visually from the classic Taiwanese style.
- If you want to order with extra toppings, you might use the word ท็อปปิ้ง (topping), which is a direct loanword from English used frequently in Thai tea shops.
Examples in context
- สวัสดีครับ ฉันอยากจะสั่งชานมไข่มุกหนึ่งแก้วครับHello, I'd like to order one glass of bubble tea, please.
- สวัสดีค่ะ ชานมใส่ไข่มุกสองแก้วหน่อยค่ะHi, can I have two cups of bubble tea, please?
- ชานมไข่มุกร้านนี้อร่อยมาก.chan nom khai muk ran ni a-roi mak.The bubble tea at this shop is very delicious.
- คุณจะสั่งชานมไข่มุกไหม?khun cha sang chan nom khai muk mai?Are you going to order bubble tea?
Example conversation
Chonsit and Sirin are walking at a shopping mall.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitสิรินทร์ อยากดื่มชานมไข่มุกไหมครับSirin yak duem cha nom khai muk mai krapSirin, do you want to drink bubble tea?
- สิรินทร์ Sirinอยากค่ะ ไปซื้อกันเถอะyak kha pai sue kan thoeI do. Let's go buy some.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitร้านนั้นมีชานมไข่มุกเจ้าดังran nan mi cha nom khai muk chao dangThat shop has a famous bubble tea.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinดีเลยค่ะ ชลสิทธิ์นำทางเลยdi loei kha Chonsit nam thang loeiGreat, Chonsit. You lead the way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bubble tea” translations and entries ชานมไข่มุก, ชาไข่มุก, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
