Meaning & use
my cup of tea
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiominformal
Something you personally like or enjoy; usually said of what is not to your taste, as a polite way to refuse.
Grammar: Usually negative: 'Opera isn't my cup of tea', while the positive form sounds more emphatic.
Patterns
- not someone's cup of tea
- be just someone's cup of tea
Horror films are not my cup of tea, so I'll wait outside.
A long hike in the rain isn't everyone's cup of tea.
This quiet seaside town is exactly my cup of tea.
Common combinations
- not my cup of tea
- Spicy food is not my cup of tea.
- just my cup of tea
- A weekend with a book and no phone is just my cup of tea.
- not everyone's cup of tea
- Experimental jazz is not everyone's cup of tea.
- not exactly my cup of tea
- Camping is not exactly my cup of tea, but I'll try.
- someone's cup of tea
- Is crossword puzzling your cup of tea?
Synonyms and how they differ
- my thing
- My thing is more casual and does not carry the polite, slightly British ring of my cup of tea.
- to my taste
- To my taste is more formal and works in writing, whereas my cup of tea is a spoken idiom.
- my style
- My style suggests a personal manner or fashion, not just something you enjoy.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: my cup of tea or a storm in a teacup?
my cup of tea vs a storm in a teacup
This idiom means a fuss over nothing, not a matter of taste.
Practice
I'm sorry, but crowded parties are not really my ___.
Choose one answer.
The idiom is my cup of tea, meaning something you like. A piece of cake is another idiom, meaning easy, so it is the tempting wrong choice.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “my cup of tea”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.