From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, boba milk tea, boba juice or simply boba) (Chinese: 珍珠奶茶; pinyin: zhēnzhū nǎichá, also 波霸奶茶; bōbà nǎichá) is a Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Taichung in the 1980s.