茶 wears the 艹 (grass/plant) radical on top — tea is, after all, a leaf. Below is 余. The character settled into its modern form in the Tang dynasty, when tea-drinking swept across China.
茶 is tea — and few things are more Chinese. China gave tea to the world; the word itself traveled (English 'tea' and 'chai' both descend from Chinese 茶, by sea vs land routes). 喝茶 (drink tea — with 喝) is daily ritual and social glue; 茶馆 (teahouses) were the cafés of old China. Offering 茶 to a guest is basic hospitality, and pouring tea for elders is a sign of respect at weddings. 喝茶 can even be a quiet euphemism for 'let's talk'.
A leaf — the plant radical (艹) on top — TEA.
Both English words 'tea' and 'chai' come from Chinese 茶 — 'tea' by the sea route (from a southern dialect tê), 'chai' by land (from chá). China gave the world the drink and its name.