In Britain, the time of day when people stop for tea and something to eat — and what that means depends on who is talking, which is where students get confused. For many people, teatime is late afternoon, around four or five o'clock: a cup of tea with a biscuit or a piece of cake, a small break, not a proper meal. "See you at teatime." This is the sense closest to the famous "afternoon tea".

In Britain在英國, the time of day when people stop for tea and something to eat teatime指的是大家停下來喝茶、吃點東西的那個時段 — and what that means depends on who is talking這個意思要看是誰在講, which is where students get confused這也是學生容易搞混的地方。For many people對很多人來說, teatime is late afternoon, around four or five o'clock teatime是傍晚四、五點左右： a cup of tea with a biscuit or a piece of cake一杯茶配餅乾或一塊蛋糕, a small break, not a proper meal是個小小的休息，不是正式的一餐。"See you at teatime."像"See you at teatime." This is the sense closest to the famous "afternoon tea"這個意思最接近有名的"afternoon tea"（英式下午茶）。

But for a great many British families, especially in the north of England and Scotland, tea IS the evening meal, so teatime means dinner time — the children come home, and at about half past five or six the family eats a hot meal and calls it tea. "What's for tea?" means "what's for dinner?" Neither use is wrong; they belong to different families and different regions, and they mildly signal where you grew up and what class you come from.

But for a great many British families不過對很多英國家庭來說, especially in the north of England and Scotland尤其是英格蘭北部和蘇格蘭, tea IS the evening meal tea指的就是晚餐, so teatime means dinner time所以teatime的意思就是晚餐時間 — the children come home小孩放學回家, and at about half past five or six the family eats a hot meal and calls it tea大約五點半或六點，全家吃一頓熱食，就叫它tea。"What's for tea?" means "what's for dinner?""What's for tea?"的意思就是"晚餐吃什麼？" Neither use is wrong這兩種用法都沒有錯; they belong to different families and different regions它們屬於不同的家庭和不同的地區, and they mildly signal where you grew up and what class you come from也稍微透露出你是在哪裡長大、屬於哪個階層。

The word is warm and domestic — it belongs to homes, children, and routines rather than restaurants. Americans rarely use it at all.

The word is warm and domestic這個字帶著溫暖、家常的味道 — it belongs to homes, children, and routines rather than restaurants它屬於家庭、小孩，和日常作息，而不是餐廳。Americans rarely use it at all美國人幾乎不用這個字。

Also spelled tea time or tea-time.

Also spelled tea time or tea-time也可以拼成分開的tea time，或加連字號的tea-time。