Where does “चायवाला” come from?

चायवाला (Hindi) comes from Hindi चाय, from Middle Chinese 茶, from Chinese 茶, from Proto-Loloish la¹, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan s-la — leaf; tea; flat object.

चायवाला (Hindi): tea seller, chaiwallah

Definitions

  1. tea seller, chaiwallah

Ancestry of “चायवाला”, step by step

चायवाला traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Hindi चाय

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiचायtea; cup of tea
2Middle Chinese
3Chinesetea
4Proto-Loloishla¹tea
5Proto-Sino-Tibetans-laleaf; tea; flat object

via Hindi वाला

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiवालाperson in charge
Every word from Proto-Sino-Tibetan s-laEvery word from Proto-Loloish la¹Every word from Chinese