Defining the Slang Phrase "Body Tea" (Plus, Where It Came From)

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Learn how to pay someone a compliment using this phrase
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If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve probably seen the phrase “body tea” floating around out there. Maybe you’ve even picked up that it’s a compliment, but you don’t know exactly what it means. Don’t worry! We’re here to help. “Body tea” is another way of saying someone has a fit or attractive body. Whether you want to use it to rizz someone up or gas up a friend, this article covers the meaning of “body tea,” how to use it, where it came from, and a few other complimentary slang terms.

“Body Tea” Meaning, According to Gen Z

“Body Tea” is Gen Z slang for a hot body. People use it to compliment someone–usually a woman—or hype up a friend. People also say, “her body tea,” “body is tea,” and “you got body tea.”

Section 1 of 5:

What does body tea mean in slang?

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  1. People use the phrase “body tea” on social media to describe others who have a hot body. [1] Variations of the slang term are “her body tea,” “body is tea,” and “you got body tea.” All of these terms essentially mean the same thing.
    • Some people have started to use “body tea” to describe images or videos of their body looking good.
    • There are detox beverages that are referred to as body tea by the manufacturer, but they aren’t related to the slang term.
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Use "Body Tea"

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  1. Paying compliments is a great way to flirt with someone you’re attracted to. There’s some evidence that a compliment stimulates the same part of the brain as winning a cash prize. [2] Besides, they just make people feel good, which is one of the keys to showing your rizz. Here are a few examples of how to use “body tea” as a compliment for someone you’re interested in.
    • Your body is so tea the British are coming.”
    • “Your body is so tea when you take a bath, the water turns into Lipton."
    • “Day-um! That body so tea I need to take a sip!”
  2. Try giving your friend a compliment when they’re feeling down, and you want to make them feel better. Are they all dressed up and looking good but aren’t feeling super confident? Tell them that their “body is tea” to drive home how great they look.
    • “Girl, I can’t lie. Your body is tea in that dress.”
    • “Don’t worry about how you look. You got face card and body tea.”
    • “You think you don’t look good in those pants? That body is so tea Americans threw you into Boston Harbor in 1773.”
  3. A popular way to use the slang phrase on social media is to post a thirst trap photo or video. Add a caption or hash tag that references “body tea” to show you look good and want everyone else to know it. Some examples of captions are:
    • “My body tea and my face card NEVER declines.”
    • “In my feelings, but I have money, and my body is tea.”
    • “At least my body is tea.”
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Section 3 of 5:

Where does body tea come from?

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  1. The post was a clip from one of her livestreams. It featured her praising one of her friends by saying, “She get money. Her body tea. She’s super thicc. She’s super pretty.” [3]
    • The clip caught on with other users and got over 750,000 views in the next 8 months.
    • “Body tea” spread to other social media sites like X, Reddit, and Instagram, often shared with images of users and celebrities describing their bodies as hot.
    • Performing artist Big JAY released song titled “Body Tea” featuring Cartier that was inspired by the slang.
  2. In March 2024, X user @MatthewKBegbie posted an image of Mrs. Potts from Disney’s animated film Beauty and the Beast with the caption, “her body is tea.” The post earned over 7,500 likes in 5 days. Throughout 2024, more parody posts began to appear.
    • A September 2024 post by TikTokker @kccarde of an overweight man dancing with the caption “when yo body tea😘” got over 128,000 likes in less than 3 months.
    • A November 2024 post by TikTokker @.messymari featured a woman in a creepy doll costume with the caption, “she ate with her 2 scoops of hair at least Her body tea”
  3. “Spill the tea,” meaning to share gossip or other intriguing news has been an extremely popular slang term. It comes from African American Vernacular English (AAVE), most likely from drag culture before spreading to the mainstream on TV shows like RuPaul's Drag Race and social media. [4]
    • The 1994 non-fiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil quotes drag queen Lady Chablis as using the term “T” to stand for her truth. [5]
    • However, the evolution from “spill the tea” to “body tea” isn’t clear, and they may not be related.
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Section 4 of 5:

Body Tea Meme

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  1. A lip dub was originally a type DIY music video people made with them lip-syncing to a popular song and posting on YouTube. Lip dubs were also made of cartoon characters dubbed with pop songs or other dialog. [6] When the trend moved to TikTok, users also used clips of audio from other TikTok posts to create a meme, which is what happened with @queenoppss’s post.
    • As early as July 2023, TikTok user @ldr1437 shared a video of a kitten with the original voiceover from @queenoppss’s clip.
    • The first viral lip dub video featured an office staff lip-syncing to Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta.”
Section 5 of 5:

Other Slang Compliments

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  1. “Serving” means that you’re performing well, look great, or are demonstrating an impressive talent. It’s usually used as a compliment to praise another person’s overall style or a particular outfit. Use this slang term when you want to celebrate a friend’s appearance or abilities.
    • For example, “The way you strutted down that aisle in your prom dress…you were serving .”
    • If you want to comment on a friend’s facial features or fierce makeup, say, “You’re serving face!”
  2. This Gen Z slang phrase “ate” means someone did a great job on something. When you say “You ate and left no crumbs” , you take your compliment to the next level. It means they exceeded everyone’s expectations in every way. [7] Basically, they took up all the talent or skills, so there wasn’t even a crumb left for anyone else.
    • For example, “That outfit has me in awe. You really ate and left no crumbs tonight.”
    • “I’ve never seen anyone play Juliet so well. You ate that stage and left no crumbs.”
  3. This slang term means someone has done well. When you “slayed” something, it means you “killed it” or did a fantastic job. It’s a positive term that expresses confidence and support. [8] Dial up the intensity of your compliment by saying “slay the house down boots.”
    • For example, text, “You slayed during your solo! 🤩” to let a friend know they sounded great during a choir rehearsal.
    • Comment “SLAYYY” on an Instagram post to let your friend know you think their outfit is fabulous.
  4. When you say that someone “understood the assignment,” it means they did something like dressing well or delivering a stunning comeback perfectly. This complimentary slang term became popular because of rapper Tay Money’s song “The Assignment.” [9]
    • For example, “When you got dressed up for that show, you really understood the assignment.”
    • “I have never seen your hair look better. Your stylist totally understood the assignment.”
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/Pqrycejop5Q?t=92
      2. ↑ https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(08)00266-3
      3. ↑ https://trending.knowyourmeme.com/editorials/guides/what-is-body-tea-the-meaning-of-the-viral-she-got-money-her-body-tea-meme-explained
      4. ↑ https://www.kansan.com/chalkmagazine/on-the-origins-of-thats-the-tea/article_002d73cc-56ec-11e9-bb98-1b8f6da4f2d2.html
      5. ↑ https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-tea
      6. ↑ https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/lip-dub
      7. ↑ https://slang.net/meaning/left_no_crumbs
      8. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/12/12/gen-z-work-emojis/
      9. ↑ https://www.hey.ntu.edu.sg/2023/07/19/the-lowkey-guide-to-gen-z-speak/

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