A teacup is a small cup with a handle, generally a small one that may be grasped with the thumb and one or two fingers. It is normally made of porcelain. It is usually part of a set, composed of a cup and a matching bowl. These in turn may be part of a tea set in combination with a teapot, cream jug, covered sugar bowl and slop bowl en suite.

Some collectors attain numerous one-of-a-kind cups with matching saucers. Better teacups normally are of fine white lucid porcelain and often decorated with floral patterns. They may also observe a location, person, or event. Such collectors may also accumulate silver teaspoons. These usually have a decorated terracotta insert in the handle with similar themes.

The first small cups specifically made for drinking the new potion tea seen in Europe were exported from the Japanese port of Imari. Tea bowls in the Far East did not have handles, and the first European imitations, made at Meissen, were without handles, too.