# 'T' vs. 'tea' **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2022, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-vs-tea/964179 "2022-05-09T14:17:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2022, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-vs-tea/964179/1 "2022-05-09T14:17:56Z")
In the late-‘80s, a girlfriend introduced me to ‘T’, meaning ‘trash’. ‘What’s the T?’ (‘What’s up?’) she’d ask; or, Oh, she was dishing the T on [so-and-so].’ Recently I’ve seen posts where people use ‘tea’ for the same purpose. Which are you more familiar with? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-vs-tea/964179/2 "2022-05-09T14:21:12Z")
What is the difference? ‘Tea’ is just a phonetic spelling. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-vs-tea/964179/3 "2022-05-09T14:30:31Z")
I’ve never heard this expression. But I’ve heard of “spilling tea” with “tea” which referred to “gossip” and the “tea” meaning like gossip stereotypically old ladies would share over tea. That particular expression goes back to the 18th century, according to the online etymological sources I could find. Never heard of “T” for “trash.” ETA: Actually, this cite has a different etymology, dating back to black drag culture: > **[Let's Talk 'Tea'](https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/tea-slang-meaning-origin)** > > Spill it, sip it: just make it hot. It says there “T” stands for “truth.” ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-vs-tea/964179/4 "2022-05-09T14:33:08Z")
I’ve noticed on Twitter that people like to talk about “spilling the tea”. Sometimes it means sharing gossip, i.e. “spilling the beans”, and sometimes it means launching into a lengthy, opinionated monologue. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2022, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-vs-tea/964179/5 "2022-05-09T14:53:25Z")
“Tea” was a slang term for cannabis in the 1930s. If we have guests, I’ll occasionally ask, “anyone in the mood for some tea?” and as luck would have it, I’ll sometimes have to break out the teapot, cups, and cozy. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2022, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-vs-tea/964179/6 "2022-05-10T12:27:33Z")
The T has a different meaning in Boston, i.e. the MBTA (subways and other public transport). It’s why poor old Charlie never returned. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-vs-tea/964179/7 "2022-05-10T12:37:57Z")
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard the idiom “weak tea” (to refer to an unimpressive statement) used decades before I ever heard “spill the tea”, etc. meaning gossip.