タピオカ

たぴおか

noun

tapioca; bubble tea

food

1. tapioca; tapioca pearls

Starch balls made from cassava root, used in drinks and desserts.

タピオカがもちもちしている。

The tapioca pearls are chewy.

タピオカはキャッサバという芋(いも)のでんぷんから作(つく)られる。

Tapioca is made from the starch of a root called cassava.

黒(くろ)いタピオカと白(しろ)いタピオカがある。

There are black tapioca and white tapioca.

2. bubble tea

A drink containing tapioca pearls, typically milk tea.

タピオカミルクティーを飲(の)む。

To drink bubble milk tea.

タピオカブームが到来(とうらい)した。

A bubble tea boom arrived.

友達(ともだち)と一緒(いっしょ)にタピオカを買(か)いに行(い)った。

I went with friends to buy bubble tea.

タピオカ refers to tapioca pearls or bubble tea drinks containing them. From Portuguese/Spanish 'tapioca.'

Usage

1. Tapioca pearls (the chewy balls made from cassava starch)
2. Bubble tea (by extension, especially in casual speech)

Compounds

タピオカミルクティー: bubble milk tea
タピオカドリンク: tapioca drink
黒糖(こくとう)タピオカ: brown sugar tapioca

RELATED WORDS (texture):

もちもち: chewy, bouncy
弾力(だんりょく)がある: has elasticity

Cultural note

Japan experienced a major タピオカブーム (bubble tea boom) around 2018-2019, with long queues at specialty shops. The word タピる (to drink/get bubble tea) was coined as slang.

Related words

ボバ: boba (alternate term from English)

Related Words

Related: タピる (to drink bubble tea)

Related: もちもち (chewy, bouncy)

general

Added 2026.1.16 17:17 · Revised 2026.10.11 4:27

05500/05604_tapioka