English, baby!

简体
not one's cup of tea
特长

Date: Feb 16 2012

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“I could try to play more good guy parts, but it’s not my cup of tea.”

- Actor Mark Wahlberg on playing a bad boy in most of his movies. (Us Weekly)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

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not one’s preference, not something one really enjoys

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

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The British love their tea. So it isn’t surprising to hear an English expression that uses tea. And it’s not just the British who use the expression not my cup of tea. Even though most Americans prefer coffee over tea, they’ll still say something is not their cup of tea if they don’t like it. An American might even say that tea is not his cup of tea!

Since many English people love tea, a cup of tea came to mean something pleasant and enjoyable. So something that is not your cup of tea is something that you don’t find enjoyable. It’s something you do not like or prefer.

The actor Mark Wahlberg may not be a tea drinker, but he still uses the expression not my cup of tea to talk about the kind of characters he prefers playing in movies. Wahlberg doesn’t like playing characters who are too perfect or nice. That’s just not his cup of tea. He would rather play bad boys or tough guys. You could say the characters he likes to play aren’t like tea at all, because they aren’t pleasant, easy-going or cozy. They’re more like a strong shot of whiskey.

What kinds of movies, hobbies, activities or foods are not your cup of tea?

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

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“Baseball is not my cup of tea. I’d rather watch basketball.”

“Mark needs to lose weight, but exercising is not his cup of tea.”

“Some people like musicals, but they are not my cup of tea.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

	Something that's not in accord with one's liking or taste. by candycandice
	not one's chosen or preferred thing by goodmahsa
	"It's not my cup of tea" means "I don't like it." by Fateme.A
	Something not to your liking. You could also say: "It's not my thing" by Buttafly
	It is not my favorite thing to do. by Julissita

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Comments

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friendlover

Turkey

Cold weather is not my cup of the too.

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Friendlover, I wasn’t born in Antartica : )

But I can endure the coldest of weathers

friendlover

Turkey

The interesting thing is that I am complainig. Your both from colder countries. You are from Antarctica, Buttafly from Germany. But I am the one talking about cold weather..Maybe because you are used to it :)

snoopyboy

Antarctica

So Butta, If I’m right you said something about beers, not being your cup of tea.

why such disdain for beers?

snoopyboy

Antarctica

HAHA Friendlover, you’re right it’s something out of this earth

friendlover

Turkey

Unfortunately, some of my frieends smoke. I hang out with them for their sake. I hate smoking but I like my friends. But sometimes if I feel so bad because of smoking I say an excuse and walk away. I don’t say because of smoking not to make them hurt.

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Butta, this is not the right time to talk about “timing”

I’m trying to steer our conversation back to “not my cup of tea”

can we do that?

friendlover

Turkey

We have winter here and I cannot imagine my life in somewher colder.Snoopyboy, I wonder something.

How can you live in Antactica, I cannot imagine the winter there.

snoopyboy

Antarctica

How do you deal with your friends that smoke?..we all have at least one friend who smokes.Don’t you hang out with them?

friendlover

Turkey

Yes Buttafly, it’s all about timing.

I am learning:)

friendlover

Turkey

Smoking is not my cup of the..

I do hate smoking.

snoopyboy

Antarctica

: )

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Friendlover, what is not your cup of tea?

friendlover

Turkey

Yes I catch you as you are here most of the time. But I have a habit. I ned to read all comments. While I am reading previous comments you continue leaving new ones. Guess what???

I cannot catch you!

A few days ago I don’t remember exactly, I read all your commets and when I finished reading you all said good bye :))