From wikipedia Starting in the early seventeen century, the Dutch played a dominant role in the early European tea trade via the Dutch East India Company.[18]

From wikipedia Starting in the early seventeen century, the Dutch played a dominant role in the early European tea trade via the Dutch East India Company.[18] The Dutch borrowed the word for "tea" (thee) from Min Chinese, either through trade directly from Fujian or Formosa where they had established a port, or from Malay traders in Bantam, Java. Also interesting speculation as to whether the chinese themselves got it the word from speakers of austro-asiatic languages living in southwest china. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea#Etymology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea#Etymology