tea leaf 
noun
1 (tea leaves) Dried leaves of tea, especially after infusion in tea-making or as dregs: figurative these are good signs, say those who read the economic tea leaves...
- His main beverage is a unique concoction of ingredients deemed healthy in Japan: raw egg, sesame seeds, unpolished rice, parched bean flour, green tea leaves, vinegar and yogurt.
- Patients with high blood pressure are advised to use pillows full of white chrysanthemum flowers, tea leaves or bamboo leaves.
- The prices of jute, potato, soyabean, cashew nut, pepper, rubber, green tea leaves, coconut, groundnut and coffee have fallen sharply.
2British rhyming slang A thief.Having a tea leaf around means no one trusts anyone....
- He's a right tea leaf - I heard they had to nail everything down in the prison.
- He used to bring home many copies for his friends, he was a right tea leaf!