A teapot is a container designed specifically for brewing and pouring tea. It has a rounded body to hold hot water and tea leaves, a spout for pouring, a handle to protect your hands from the heat, and a lid to keep the heat inside while the tea steeps.

Teapots come in countless shapes, sizes, and materials. Some are made of ceramic or porcelain and decorated with beautiful patterns. Others are made of cast iron, glass, or even silver. In China, where tea drinking began over 4,000 years ago, small clay teapots called Yixing pots are prized by tea lovers. In England, teapots became symbols of hospitality and comfort, central to the tradition of afternoon tea.

The design of a teapot reflects centuries of experimentation to solve a simple problem: how to brew tea leaves in hot water and then pour the flavored water into cups without getting leaves everywhere. Many teapots have built-in strainers or special shapes that help trap the leaves when you pour.

You might hear the phrase “tempest in a teapot,” which means making a big fuss over something small and unimportant, like the tiny storm you’d get if you shook up a teapot.