Tip vs. Advice: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on September 27, 2023
A "tip" is a small, practical piece of advice or suggestion, often specific, while "advice" is more general guidance or recommendations shared to aid decision-making.
Key Differences
The terms "tip" and "advice" both refer to information or suggestions given with the intent to help, but they differ in their depth, specificity, and application. A "tip" is usually a small, practical piece of advice or suggestion. It is often specific, concise, and can be immediately applied. For example, tips are frequently found in guidebooks or instructional manuals to facilitate quick learning or understanding. They are action-oriented, providing straightforward solutions or recommendations for a specific situation or problem.
On the other hand, "advice" is a broader term that encompasses guidance or recommendations offered to aid decision-making or problem-solving. Advice is usually more detailed, comprehensive, and is often based on one’s knowledge, experience, and wisdom. It is shared to help others make informed decisions, and it may require consideration and reflection. While tips are more situational and action-based, advice often deals with behavioral change, decision-making processes, and value judgments.
Another difference is the context in which these terms are used. "Tip" is commonly used in informal settings and often relates to everyday situations, quick fixes, or practical solutions. It can be unsolicited and is generally easy to follow. "Advice," conversely, is often sought after and is presented in more formal or serious contexts. It might pertain to life choices, career decisions, or moral dilemmas, and its assimilation might require a thoughtful approach.
Additionally, the acceptance and implementation of "tips" and "advice" may vary. Tips are usually non-binding and can be either accepted or disregarded without much deliberation. They are easy to implement and are meant to make life easier or tasks more efficient. In contrast, advice usually necessitates contemplation and, sometimes, deliberation, as it might impact one’s life, values, or decisions profoundly.
Lastly, while a tip is typically short and to the point, advice can be extensive and elaborate. A tip provides a practical solution, while advice provides a thoughtful recommendation, helping individuals to navigate through complexities and make better decisions.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A small, practical piece of advice or suggestion.
Guidance or recommendations offered to aid decision-making.
Depth
Specific and concise.
Detailed and comprehensive.
Context
Informal and everyday situations.
More formal or serious contexts.
Acceptance
Can be easily accepted or disregarded.
Requires contemplation and deliberation.
Implementation
Action-oriented and practical.
May impact life choices and value judgments.
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Tip and Advice Definitions
Tip
A piece of confidential, advance, or inside information.
Danny gave me a tip about the upcoming sale at the tech store.
Advice
Information communicated; news.
The travel advice stated that visiting that country during monsoons could be risky.
Tip
The end of a pointed or projecting object.
Advice
Opinions or suggestions given for future action.
The counselor’s advice helped me make a clear career choice.
Tip
A piece or an attachment, such as a cap or ferrule, meant to be fitted to the end of something else
The barbed tip of a harpoon.
Advice
A communication, especially from a distance, containing information.
The advice from the headquarters was to hold the current position.
Tip
The act of tipping.
Advice
Opinion about what could or should be done about a situation or problem; counsel.
Tip
A tilt or slant; an incline.
Advice
Often advices Information communicated; news
Advices from an ambassador.
Tip
Chiefly British An area or a place for dumping something, such as rubbish.
Advice
(uncountable) An opinion offered to guide behavior in an effort to be helpful.
She was offered various pieces of advice on what to do with her new-found wealth.
On the advice of her doctor, Mary cut down on her carbohydrates.
I have some useful advice to give you.
Sushil never took the advice of his parents, but still became rich.
Tip
A light blow; a tap.
Advice
Deliberate consideration; knowledge.
Tip
(Baseball) A pitched ball that is tipped
A foul tip.
Advice
Information or news given; intelligence
Late advices from France
Tip
A small sum of money given to someone for performing a service; a gratuity.
Advice
(countable) In language about financial transactions executed by formal documents, an advisory document.
An advice of an incoming settlement payment order may be given to an off-line receiving bank.
Tip
A piece of confidential, advance, or inside information
Got a tip on the next race.
Advice
(uncountable) In commercial language, information communicated by letter; used chiefly in reference to drafts or bills of exchange
A letter of advice
Tip
A helpful hint
A column of tips on gardening.
Advice
A communication providing information, such as how an uncertain area of law might apply to possible future actions
An advice issued by a Monitoring Committee could be applicable in a Dutch court
Tip
To furnish with a tip.
Advice
Counseling to perform a specific legal act.
Tip
To cover or decorate the tip of
Tip strawberries with chocolate.
Advice
Counseling to perform a specific illegal act.
Tip
To remove the tip of
Tip artichokes.
Advice
In aspect-oriented programming, the code whose execution is triggered when a join point is reached.
Tip
To dye the ends of (hair or fur) in order to blend or improve appearance.
Advice
Misspelling of advise
Tip
To push or knock over; overturn or topple
Bumped the table and tipped a vase.
Advice
An opinion recommended or offered, as worthy to be followed; counsel.
We may give advice, but we can not give conduct.
Tip
To move to a slanting position; tilt
Tipped the rearview mirror slightly downward.
A weight that tipped the balance.
Advice
Deliberate consideration; knowledge.
How shall I dote on her with more advice,That thus without advice begin to love her?
Tip
To touch or raise (one's hat) in greeting.
Advice
Information or notice given; intelligence; as, late advices from France; - commonly in the plural.
Tip
To empty (something) by overturning; dump.
Advice
Counseling to perform a specific illegal act.
Tip
To dump (rubbish, for example).
Advice
A proposal for an appropriate course of action
Tip
To topple over; overturn
The trash can tipped over in the wind.
Advice
Guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent action.
My grandmother gave me invaluable advice about maintaining relationships.
Tip
To be tilted; slant
The cabinet tipped toward the wall.
Advice
An official notice concerning a business agreement.
The broker provided advice on the finalized investment deal.
Tip
To strike gently; tap.
Tip
(Baseball) To hit (a pitched ball) with the side of the bat so that it glances off.
Tip
(Sports) To tap or deflect (a ball or puck, for example), especially in scoring.
Tip
(Sports) To deflect or glance off. Used of a ball or puck.
Tip
Lower Southern US To tiptoe.
Tip
To give a tip to
Tipped the waiter generously.
Tip
To give as a tip
He tipped a dollar and felt that it was enough.
Tip
To provide with a piece of confidential, advance, or inside information
A disgruntled gang member who tipped the police to the planned robbery.
Tip
To give tips or a tip
One who tips lavishly.
Tip
The extreme end of something, especially when pointed; e.g. the sharp end of a pencil.
The tip of one's nose
Tip
A piece of metal, fabric or other material used to cover the top of something for protection, utility or decoration.
A tip for an umbrella, a shoe, a gas burner, etc.
Tip
(music) The end of a bow of a stringed instrument that is not held.
Tip
A small piece of meat.
Chicken tips over rice, pork tips, marinated alligator tips
Tip
A piece of stiffened lining pasted on the inside of a hat crown.
Tip
A thin, boarded brush made of camel's hair, used by gilders in lifting gold leaf.
Tip
Synonym of eartip
Tip
The knocking over of a skittle.
Tip
An act of tipping up or tilting.
Tip
An area or a place for dumping something, such as rubbish or refuse, as from a mine; a heap (see tipple); a dump.
Tip
Rubbish thrown from a quarry.
Tip
A recycling centre.
Tip
(colloquial) A very untidy place.
Tip
The act of deflecting with one's fingers, especially the fingertips
Tip
A tram for expeditiously transferring coal.
Tip
A light blow or tap.
Tip
A gratuity; a small amount of money left for a bartender, waiter, taxi driver or other servant as a token of appreciation.
Workers in the American service industry usually depend on tips to even make minimum wage.
Tip
A piece of private or secret information, especially imparted by someone with expert knowledge about sporting odds, business performance etc.
Hot stock tips
Tip
A piece of advice.
Tips and tricks
Tip
(AU) A prediction or bet about the outcome of something.
Tip
(transitive) To provide with a tip; to cover the tip of.
Tip
(ergative) (To cause) to become knocked over, fall down or overturn.
Tip
(ergative) (To cause) to be, or come to be, in a tilted or sloping position; (to cause) to become unbalanced.
Tip
To cause the contents of a container to be emptied out by tilting it.
Tip
To drink.
Tip
(transitive) To dump (refuse).
Tip
To pour a libation or a liquid from a container, particularly from a forty of malt liquor.
Tip
(transitive) To deflect with one′s fingers, especially one′s fingertips.
Tip
To hit quickly and lightly; to tap.
Tip
To give a small gratuity to, especially to an employee of someone who provides a service.
You should always tip your waiter in the United States and most third world countries.
Tip
To give, pass.
Tip
To give a piece of private information to; to inform (someone) of a clue, secret knowledge, etc.
Tip
(AU) To predict or bet on something having a particular outcome.
Tip
The point or extremity of anything; a pointed or somewhat sharply rounded end; the end; as, the tip of the finger; the tip of a spear.
To the very tip of the nose.
Tip
An end piece or part; a piece, as a cap, nozzle, ferrule, or point, applied to the extreme end of anything; as, a tip for an umbrella, a shoe, a gas burner, etc.
Tip
A piece of stiffened lining pasted on the inside of a hat crown.
Tip
A thin, boarded brush made of camel's hair, used by gilders in lifting gold leaf.
Tip
Rubbish thrown from a quarry.
Tip
A light touch or blow; a tap.
Tip
A gift; a douceur; a fee.
Tip
A hint, or secret intimation, as to the chances in a horse race, or the like.
Tip
To form a point upon; to cover the tip, top, or end of; as, to tip anything with gold or silver.
With truncheon tipped with iron head.
Tipped with jet,Fair ermines spotless as the snows they press.
Tip
To strike slightly; to tap.
A third rogue tips me by the elbow.
Tip
To bestow a gift, or douceur, upon; to give a present to; as, to tip a servant.
Tip
To lower one end of, or to throw upon the end; to tilt; as, to tip a cask; to tip a cart.
Tip
To fall on, or incline to, one side.
Tip
The extreme end of something; especially something pointed
Tip
A relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter)
Tip
An indication of potential opportunity;
He got a tip on the stock market
A good lead for a job
Tip
A V shape;
The cannibal's teeth were filed to sharp points
Tip
The top point of a mountain or hill;
The view from the peak was magnificent
They clambered to the summit of Monadnock
Tip
Cause to tilt;
Tip the screen upward
Tip
Mark with a tip;
Tip the arrow with the small stone
Tip
Give a tip or gratuity to in return for a service, beyond the agreed-on compensation;
Remember to tip the waiter
Fee the steward
Tip
Cause to topple or tumble by pushing
Tip
To incline or bend from a vertical position;
She leaned over the banister
Tip
Walk on one's toes
Tip
Strike lightly;
He tapped me on the shoulder
Tip
Give insider information or advise to;
He tipped off the police about the terrorist plot
Tip
Remove the tip from;
Tip artichokes
Tip
A small but useful piece of practical advice.
The cooking show gave a great tip on how to chop onions without tearing up.
Tip
A gratuity given in return for a service.
We left a generous tip for our attentive waiter.
Tip
The pointed or rounded end or extremity of something.
The tip of the mountain was covered in snow.
Tip
To give a piece of advice or useful information.
The expert gardener tipped the audience on maintaining healthy plants in winter.
FAQs
Can a tip be considered advice?
Yes, a tip is a form of advice, but it is usually more specific and concise.
Is a tip always actionable?
Typically, yes. Tips are meant to be practical, actionable pieces of advice.
Can you give a tip about a task?
Absolutely, tips are often given to offer practical solutions or easier methods to accomplish tasks.
Is advice always asked for?
No, advice can be either solicited or unsolicited.
Is advice always serious?
Not necessarily; advice can be light-hearted or serious, depending on the context.
Can the word 'tip' also refer to the end of an object?
Yes, 'tip' can refer to the pointed or rounded end or extremity of something.
Can advice be given by someone without experience in the matter?
It can be, but advice is generally more valuable when coming from informed or experienced individuals.
Does the word 'tip' have different meanings?
Yes, 'tip' can mean a piece of advice, a gratuity for service, or the end point of an object.
Can advice be objective and impartial?
Ideally, advice should be objective and impartial, but it may be influenced by personal biases.
Does a tip always come from an expert?
Not necessarily; tips can come from anyone with experience or knowledge about a specific matter.
Can advice be about trivial matters?
Yes, advice can pertain to both trivial and significant matters.
Can advice be general or does it have to be specific?
Advice can be both general and specific, depending on the context and the information provided.
Can a tip be related to a broad topic?
Generally, tips are more specific and concise, relating to more narrow or specific topics or actions.
Can you tip someone for bad service?
It’s discretionary; some might leave a small tip or no tip at all for bad service.
Is advice subjective?
Often, yes. Advice is typically based on an individual’s opinions, experiences, and values.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
