🫖
Teapot
TEE-pot
Definitions
1
Food & Drink · Beverage
Common
A vessel used for brewing and serving tea, typically with a spout, handle, and lid. Represents tea drinking, tea culture, or the act of brewing tea.
Used when discussing tea, inviting someone for tea, or referencing British/Asian tea culture.
Coming over for a cuppa? Just put the 🫖 on!
Text message invitation
Nothing beats a good book and a fresh 🫖 on a rainy day.
Social media post
Strongly associated with British culture, afternoon tea tradition, and Asian tea ceremonies. Symbolizes hospitality, comfort, and tradition.
2
Social · Invitation
Common
Used metaphorically to suggest a casual social gathering, conversation, or gossip session.
Often used when inviting someone for a chat or implying there's gossip to share.
We need to catch up soon! 🫖 👀
Direct message
In digital communication, the teapot has evolved beyond its literal meaning to represent casual social connections and sharing stories.
Evolution Timeline
2020
Added to Unicode 13.0 as part of expanded food and drink emoji set.
Growing global interest in tea culture and traditional beverages.
2021
Gained popularity during pandemic lockdowns as home tea rituals became more prominent.
COVID-19 lockdowns increased home beverage consumption and comfort-seeking behaviors.
Cultural Context
The teapot's significance varies globally: a symbol of British identity, ceremonial importance in East Asia, and colonial history in India. The emoji captures this cross-cultural significance.
In modern slang, 'tea' refers to gossip or insider information ('spill the tea'). The teapot emoji sometimes carries this metaphorical meaning in digital communication.
Tea drinking rituals create social bonds across cultures. The teapot emoji often represents not just the beverage but the social connection associated with sharing tea.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Highly frequent usage representing British tea culture, a national symbol of hospitality and daily ritual.
India
Represents chai culture and tea stalls, often used when discussing masala chai or tea breaks.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Primarily literal usage referring to actual tea drinking or invitations for tea. Often used in family group chats.
Gen_Z: Often used metaphorically for 'spilling the tea' (sharing gossip). Popular in TikTok and Instagram stories when discussing drama or revelations.
Older: Straightforward usage representing tea or teatime. Less likely to use in metaphorical contexts for gossip.
Millennials: Used both literally for tea culture and metaphorically for gossip. Common in work Slack channels for break suggestions.
Common Combinations
🫖☕
Tea time, brewing tea, or tea culture in general.
The classic pairing representing the complete tea experience from brewing to drinking.
🫖🍪
Tea and biscuits, afternoon tea, or a cozy snack break.
Particularly British combination representing traditional tea-taking with accompaniments.
🫖👀
Gossip session or 'spilling the tea' (sharing gossip).
Draws on slang where 'tea' means gossip or juicy information.