Collection: Chinese Tea Cups

Chinese Tea Cup Styles & Sizes

Chinese tea cups vary significantly by style and intended use. Gongfu tasting cups are the smallest — typically 30–50 ml — with straight or slightly flared walls designed to concentrate aroma. Wide-mouth cups (50–70 ml) are better for everyday drinking and are easier to hold. Gaiwans serve double duty as both brewing vessel and drinking cup. Most Chinese tea cups are handleless, which is intentional — holding the cup with both hands is part of traditional tea culture and allows you to feel the warmth of the brew. Materials range from thin white porcelain (best for displaying tea color) to thicker ceramic (better heat retention) and glass (allows you to watch the tea steep).

What are Chinese tea cups called?

Chinese tea cups are called cháběi (茶杯) in Mandarin, which literally translates to "tea cup." In gongfu tea culture, the small tasting cup used after decanting from a fairness cup is called a pǐn míng bēi (品茗杯). The tall aroma cup used to smell the tea before drinking is called a wén xiāng bēi (闻香杯).

How big are Chinese tea cups?

Traditional Chinese tea cups are much smaller than Western cups — typically 30–70 ml (1–2.5 oz). Gongfu tasting cups are on the smaller end at 30–50 ml, while everyday Chinese tea cups range from 50–70 ml. This small size is intentional: gongfu tea is brewed in multiple short steeps, so smaller cups are filled and emptied quickly to keep each pour at the right temperature.

Do Chinese tea cups have handles?

Traditional Chinese tea cups do not have handles. Holding a handleless cup with both hands is part of traditional Chinese tea etiquette — it shows respect to the host and allows you to feel the warmth of the tea. Modern Chinese tea cups sometimes include handles for everyday use, but handleless styles remain the standard for gongfu tea ceremonies.

What is the difference between a Chinese tea cup and a gaiwan?

A gaiwan (盖碗) is a lidded bowl used for both brewing and drinking tea — it consists of a bowl, lid, and saucer. A Chinese tea cup (茶杯) is purely for drinking, not brewing. In a gongfu tea ceremony, tea is brewed in a gaiwan or Yixing teapot, then poured into a fairness pitcher, and finally served in small tea cups. For gaiwans, see our gaiwan collection.

What material is best for Chinese tea cups?

White porcelain is considered best for appreciating tea color and is the most traditional choice — it's thin, non-porous, and doesn't affect flavor. Yixing clay cups develop a seasoned patina over time and are favored by serious tea drinkers. Glass cups let you watch the tea's color as it steeps. Thick ceramic retains heat longer and is ideal for everyday use. For Yixing options, see our Yixing teapot collection.