Keep to yourself
‘Sip Tea’ is a slang expression that means to keep to oneself and avoid getting involved in gossip or drama. This phrase is often used to depict someone who likes to hear the juicy details of gossip but chooses not to engage or spread it further.
The term was introduced as an alternative to the phrase “Spill the tea”, a call to share hot gossip. The origin of both terms can be traced back to “Spill the T”, where “T” stands for “truth”. The first known use of this phrase was by a drag queen named Lady Chablis in a 1994 book called “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”.
Usually, the act of spilling tea is associated with talkative people, often women, who like to engage in gossip about others. On the other hand, those who sip tea may view themselves as above such behavior, but still find the gossip entertaining.
There are also other tea-related slang terms like “Weak tea” and “Give us the tea”. These phrases, just like “Sip Tea”, are related to the sharing and consumption of gossip, with each having its unique nuances.
Example for using ‘Sip Tea’ in a conversation
Did you hear what happened at the party last night? 😮
No, what happened? 🤔
I can’t spill the tea, but let’s just say it was juicy! 😏
Oh, come on! You can’t leave me hanging like that! 😩
Related Slang Words You Might Be Interested In
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| SOP | Standard operating procedure |
| Kiki | Meet-up with pals known as 'Kiki' |
| Deinfluencing | Advising social media users on what they should avoid doing |
| Moobs | Man boobs |
| DTN | Don't trust no one |