The Cantonese term for the tea-drinking tradition that includes dim sum is yum cha. The phrase literally means “drink tea,” but in Cantonese-speaking communities it commonly refers to going out for tea, small dishes, and conversation.
Yum cha developed from the relationship between teahouses and travelers in southern China. Teahouses served tea with small savory and sweet foods, and the custom gradually evolved into the modern dim sum meal, especially in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau.
The food is typically served in small portions, often in bamboo steamers or on small plates. Traditional restaurants may use push carts, while diners share dishes such as har gow, siu mai, char siu bao, rice noodle rolls, and egg tarts. Yum cha is usually associated with breakfast or brunch, though some restaurants serve dim sum later in the day.
Yum cha is not simply another word for every kind of tea ceremony. Matcha is a powdered Japanese green tea, chai usually refers to spiced tea in South Asian usage, and gongfu cha describes a Chinese tea-preparation method. Yum cha specifically names the Cantonese social dining tradition centered on tea and dim sum.