By: Nancy Han

Introduction

The first time I came across the term ‘green tea bitch’ (绿茶婊) was in a Chinese manhua called ‘That Time I Was Blackmailed by the Class’s Green Tea Bitch.’ At first, I had no idea what it meant, so I asked my mom to explain. She was pretty surprised to hear me use that phrase, but she told me it’s basically the Chinese equivalent of a ‘pick-me’ or someone who acts ‘not like other girls.’ I thought the concept of using tea and other beverages to generalize certain types of women was so interesting that I had to look into it more.

Origin

The term first appeared in 2013 when many models and actresses in China were exposed for using their body in order to achieve higher status and fame. In response, Chinese netizens began referring to this group as ‘green tea bitches’ The phrase combines two contrasting ideas: green tea (绿茶) symbolizes innocence and purity, the image these women tried to project. While bitch (婊) reveals the reality beneath the façade, describing someone manipulative, attention-seeking, and driven by self-interest.

Usage

The term ‘green tea bitch’ is now more broadly used to describe women often referred to as ‘the kind of woman even other women can’t stand.’ While the exact characteristics can vary, a few common traits are:

(1) She is pretty but not exceptionally beautiful
(2) Her behavior shifts depending on her company. She acts lively and cute around men, but more subdued or indifferent around women.
(3) She keeps the appearance of being innocent and pure, but every thing she does is calculated to garner more male attention.
(4) She’s interested in Chinese art, politics, literature, but makes sure to downplay her knowledge as to not seem too haughty
(5) Makes self-depreciating remarks often, in order to gain sympathy (i.e. ‘I’m so fat, I wish I was skinny like you’, ‘I’m so clumsy’, ‘Oh, I’m so stupid’)
(6) Indirectly/subtly puts down other women

I thought it was so interesting how the western phrase ‘pick me’ was almost identical to ‘green tea bitch’. Both describing a woman appealing to men, but insufferable to women due to the fact they value male attention and themselves over all else, even at the expense of other women.

Derivatives

With the popularization of the term ‘green tea bitch,’ many other female archetypes following the same tea/beverage theme have emerged. While many differ from what netizens would typically describe as a ‘green tea bitch,’ they all share one common thread: their lives, behaviors, or self-worth often revolve around men and the validation they can provide.

1. Milk tea bitch: Extremely cutesy and sweet-looking, she appeals to men who are eager to spoil her with gifts and money.
2. Black tea bitch: Promiscuous with lots of sex appeal, she doesn’t shy away from flirting with taken men— or even when she’s in a relationship herself.
3. Dragon well tea bitch: ‘One of the guys’. Insistent that she isn’t concerned in feminine interests, but always makes sure she looks good in front of her guy friends. Flirts with all her male friends but assures their partners ‘he’s like a brother’
4. Coffee bitch: Sophisticated, classy, and intelligent. Her traits put her above tea, but her real talent is her keen eye for high-status and wealthy men to make her next victim

Retrospective

I find it fascinating that these archetypes of women exist in cultures across the globe. While I agree that it’s important to call out women who value men so much that they deliberately put down other women just to better themselves, the phenomenon also feels like a double-edged sword. When women are overly critical of other women, the conversation shifts away from how we can decenter men from our lives, and instead becomes about tearing each other down.

I understand why this “genre” of women can be frustrating, I’ve met a handful myself, but it’s also understandable that many women internalize the idea that their worth depends on how men perceive them. In a society where women are put secondary to men and often seen as accessories to them, it’s hard not to.

What also strikes me as unfair is the reaction of disgust and contempt targeted towards the models when it was revealed that certain Chinese models used their bodies to climb the social ladder. Shouldn’t that outrage instead highlight the inequality that forces women to rely on their bodies in the first place?

Labeling women into categories like “green tea bitch” or “pick me” can be entertaining or even socially insightful when done playfully—but it becomes concerning when such labels are used to degrade or dismiss women altogether.