30 Tea Sayings

For as long as there has been tea, there have been people who love tea and love to wax poetic about their favorite cup of relaxing tea or black tea. Here are thirty of our favorite tea sayings: funny tea sayings, cute tea sayings, inspiring tea quotes, and more.

Sayings About Tea

Tea has inspired wisdom, humor, and comfort for centuries—often captured in short, thoughtful phrases that speak to the heart of every tea lover. Whether you're sipping alone or sharing a pot with friends, these sayings remind us why tea holds such a special place in daily life.

Read them for a pick-me-up or write your favorites on tea stained paper to decorate your tea cabinet with. 

They also make fun conversation starters during adult tea party games, adding a bit of charm and wit to your gathering. Along with each tea saying, we have included a tea or tea article with a similar sentiment.

Tea Sayings About Tea Time

There’s something timeless about tea time—it’s a pause, a ritual, and a simple pleasure all in one. Whether you’re unwinding with a soothing chamomile tea or catching up with friends over a fruity peach tea, these sayings capture the calm, charm, and connection that come with every cup.

"No matter what is happening in your life, you always offer tea."

-- Clemantine Wamariya

"Doing nothing is respectable at tea."

-- Sasaki Sanmi

"Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors."

-- Alice Walker

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

-- Henry James

"I am sort of a tea addict. I structure my day by cups of tea."

-- S.T. Joshi

"Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book."

-- Bill Watterson

"Surely a pretty woman never looks prettier than when making tea."

-- Mary Elizabeth Braddon

"Tea brings Time to a crawl, its frantic pace resuming on noticing our empty cups."

-- Terri Guillemets

Tea Sayings for Strength

Tea has long been a symbol of resilience and renewal. Whether you're powering through a challenge or starting fresh with a calming cup of green tea, these sayings reflect the inner strength and steady focus that tea so often represents.

"A woman is like a tea bag -- you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."

-- Eleanor Roosevelt

"Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary."

-- Chinese Proverb

"There are those who love to get dirty and fix things. They drink coffee at dawn, beer after work. And those who stay clean, just appreciate things. At breakfast they have milk and juice at night. There are those who do both, they drink tea."

-- Gary Snyder

"If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; if you are depressed, it will cheer you; if you are excited, it will calm you."

-- William Ewart Gladstone

"A true warrior, like tea, shows his strength in hot water."

-- Chinese Proverb

"Where there’s tea there’s hope."

-- Arthur Wing Pinero

"Water is the mother of tea, a teapot its father, and fire the teacher."

-- Chinese Proverb

Tea Sayings for Clarity

Tea has a way of clearing the mind and centering the spirit. Whether you’re starting your morning with a cup of green or clarifying herbal tea, these sayings reflect the stillness and perspective that often come with a quiet moment and a warm brew.

"A cup of tea would restore my normality."

-- Douglas Adams

"Tea does our fancy aid, Repress those vapours which the head invade, And keeps that palace of the soul serene."

-- Edmund Waller

"There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea."

-- Bernard-Paul Heroux

"There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life."

-- Lin Yutang

"Some people will tell you there is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Tea is the magic key to the vault where my brain is kept."

-- Frances Hardinge

"Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things."

-- Chaim Potok

Funny Tea Sayings

Tea doesn’t always have to be serious—sometimes it’s just about laughs and a sweet moment of joy. Whether you’re sipping on a playful dessert tea or sharing a pot with friends, these funny tea sayings are perfect for adding a little humor to your next steep.

"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on."

-- Billy Connolly

"You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me."

-- C.S. Lewis

"Make tea, not war."

-- Monty Python

"I like tea and yoga, but I don’t do yoga."

-- Moby

"I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea."

-- Fyodor Dostoevsky

"Honestly, if you’re given the choice between Armageddon or tea, you don’t say ‘what kind of tea?’"

-- Neil Gaiman

"But indeed I would rather have nothing but tea."

-- Jane Austen

"Great love affairs start with champagne and end with tisane."

-- Honoré de Balzac

These were our favorite thirty tea sayings. What are some of your favorites?

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is a nice quote for tea?

A popular quote for tea is, “You can’t buy happiness, but you can brew tea—and that’s kind of the same thing.”

What are the tea phrases?

Common tea phrases include “spill the tea,” “not my cup of tea,” and “steeped in tradition,” blending humor and cultural reference.

What are some tea party quotes?

Charming tea party quotes include “A cup of tea shared is a cup of joy doubled” and “Life’s better with pastries and good company over tea.”

What can you say about tea?

You can say that tea is more than a drink—it’s a ritual, a comfort, and a simple way to slow down and connect.