SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Revenue recognition and costs (Details) - CNY (¥) ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025	Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Initial franchise agreement term	1 year
Award credit expiration period	1 year
Commission and delivery costs	¥ 127.4	¥ 65.0	¥ 20.1
Storage and logistics costs	290.0	243.8	99.9
Advertising expenses	763.4	781.2	140.4
Research and development expense	268.5	193.5	11.5
Government grant income	¥ 141.3	¥ 128.4	¥ 38.4
Government Assistance, Income, Increase (Decrease), Statement of Income or Comprehensive Income [Extensible Enumeration]	Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)	Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)	Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)

Cost incurred as commission and delivery charges during the period in connection with the company-owned teahouses.

No definition available.

Name:	cha_CommissionAndDeliveryCosts
Namespace Prefix:	cha_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period after which the award credit provided to the customers on purchase expires, expressed in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cha_CustomerLoyaltyProgramAwardCreditExpirationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	cha_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period for which franchise agreements are generally entered expressed in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cha_InitialFranchiseAgreementTerm
Namespace Prefix:	cha_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of storage and logistics costs incurred for inventory storage and for transporting goods to the place of sale.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cha_StorageAndLogisticsCosts
Namespace Prefix:	cha_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount charged to advertising expense for the period, which are expenses incurred with the objective of increasing revenue for a specified brand, product or product line.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 720
-SubTopic 35
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483385/720-35-55-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 720
-SubTopic 35
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483406/720-35-50-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in income from government assistance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 832
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483507/832-10-50-3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GovernmentAssistanceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicates line item in statement of income or comprehensive income that includes increase (decrease) in income from government assistance.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GovernmentAssistanceStatementOfIncomeOrComprehensiveIncomeExtensibleEnumeration
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	enum2:enumerationSetItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense for research and development. Includes, but is not limited to, cost for computer software product to be sold, leased, or otherwise marketed and writeoff of research and development assets acquired in transaction other than business combination or joint venture formation or both. Excludes write-down of intangible asset acquired in business combination or from joint venture formation or both, used in research and development activity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 40
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 18
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147476153/220-40-55-18

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 40
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 14
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147476153/220-40-55-14

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 48
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482785/280-10-55-48

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 985
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481283/985-20-50-2

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 730
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482916/730-10-50-1

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 912
-SubTopic 730
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479532/912-730-25-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration