- To apologize
people make a serious apology to others by pouring tea for them. For example, children who have made a mistake or have misbehaved may serve tea to their parents as a sign of regret and submission.
- To show gratitude and celebrate weddings
In the traditional Chinese marriage ceremony, both the bride and groom are supposed to kneel in front of their parents and serve them tea. It is a practice for the married couple to say in front of their parents as they serve the tea, "Thank you for raising us, now we are getting married, and we owe it all to you". The parents will usually drink a small portion of the tea and then give them a red envelope, which symbolizes good luck. Another variant form is that the bride serves tea to the groom's parents, symbolizing that she is to become a part of their family.