When visiting friends or family, hosts often offer tea as a gesture of hospitality. Tea has become deeply ingrained in our daily lives. Therefore, when drinking tea, be sure not to make these laughable mistakes!

Mispronounced Tea Names

Some people try to show off their knowledge by dropping exotic tea names: "White Moonlight" sounds poetic, like a song. Or there’s that "creepy black tea"—is it really that eerie?...

You might think you’re impressing others, but in reality, you’re just becoming a walking joke.

"White Moonlight" is indeed a song title, but the tea is actually called "Moonlight White," a unique Pu'er tea with white tops and dark bottoms. As for "creepy black tea," it’s not eerie at all—its real name is "Keemun Black Tea," named after the Qimen region.

"This Black Tea Tastes Great!"

If your host serves you Da Hong Pao, with its deep red liquor, and you casually remark, "This black tea is delicious!"

Your host might faint on the spot.

Da Hong Pao is not a black tea but an oolong, prized for its aromatic complexity. Don’t assume a tea is black just because it looks red—tea classification is far more nuanced.

"White Tea Isn’t White?"

The highest grade of white tea, Silver Needle, is covered in fine white hairs, giving it a silvery appearance. But not all white teas are pure white. Lower grades like White Peony, Gong Mei, or aged white teas may appear darker.

So if your host brews an aged white tea cake, don’t bluntly ask, "Why isn’t this white? Is it low quality?" You’ll ruin the mood and reveal your ignorance. Aged white teas are treasured rarities.

With so many tea varieties, mastering them all takes time. But when sharing tea, hosts won’t judge you for not knowing. Polite curiosity will earn you knowledge, while pretending to know will only invite laughter.

Approach with humility and respect—tea is about connection and camaraderie.