Drinks & Coffee
beginner饮品咖啡
Order hot drinks, cold drinks, and bubble tea in Chinese — from coffee shops to street-side milk tea stalls.
36 words12 phrases2 dialogues~25 min study time
Vocabulary
36 words — click any row for an example sentence
Hot Drinks
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 咖啡 | kāfēi | coffee | noun |
| 茶 | chá | tea | noun |
| 热水 | rè shuǐ | hot water | noun |
| 奶茶 | nǎichá | milk tea | noun |
| 豆浆 | dòujiāng | soy milk | noun |
| 绿茶 | lǜchá | green tea | noun |
| 红茶 | hóngchá | black tea | noun |
| 拿铁 | nátie | latte | noun |
| 美式咖啡 | měishì kāfēi | Americano | noun |
Cold Drinks
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 冰水 | bīng shuǐ | ice water | noun |
| 果汁 | guǒzhī | fruit juice | noun |
| 可乐 | kělè | cola | noun |
| 啤酒 | píjiǔ | beer | noun |
| 冰茶 | bīngchá | iced tea | noun |
| 矿泉水 | kuàngquánshuǐ | mineral water; bottled water | noun |
| 酸奶 | suānnǎi | yogurt drink | noun |
Ordering
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 加糖 | jiā táng | to add sugar | verb |
| 加冰 | jiā bīng | to add ice | verb |
| 少糖 | shǎo táng | less sugar | phrase |
| 常温 | chángwēn | room temperature | noun |
| 大杯 | dà bēi | large (cup size) | noun |
| 中杯 | zhōng bēi | medium (cup size) | noun |
| 小杯 | xiǎo bēi | small (cup size) | noun |
| 外带 | wàidài | to go; takeaway | verb |
| 堂食 | tángshí | dine in; for here | verb |
| 去冰 | qù bīng | no ice | phrase |
Bubble Tea
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 珍珠奶茶 | zhēnzhū nǎichá | bubble tea; pearl milk tea | noun |
| 波霸 | bōbà | large tapioca pearls; boba | noun |
| 椰果 | yēguǒ | coconut jelly | noun |
| 芋圆 | yùyuán | taro balls | noun |
| 糖度 | tángdù | sugar level | noun |
| 全糖 | quántáng | full sugar | noun |
| 半糖 | bàntáng | half sugar | noun |
| 无糖 | wútáng | no sugar | noun |
| 饮料 | yǐnliào | beverage; drink | noun |
| 吸管 | xīguǎn | straw | noun |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
我要一杯冰美式。
Wǒ yào yī bēi bīng měishì.
I want an iced Americano.
Ordering a specific coffee drink at a coffee shop.
热的还是冰的？
Rè de háishì bīng de?
Hot or iced?
A barista asking the customer about temperature preference.
要什么糖度？
Yào shénme tángdù?
What sugar level would you like?
A bubble tea shop employee asking about sweetness preference.
三分糖，少冰。
Sān fēn táng, shǎo bīng.
Thirty percent sugar, less ice.
Customizing a bubble tea order with specific sweetness and ice levels.
加珍珠还是椰果？
Jiā zhēnzhū háishì yēguǒ?
Add pearls or coconut jelly?
Choosing a topping for a bubble tea order.
能多喝热水。
Néng duō hē rè shuǐ.
You should drink more hot water.
A common piece of advice in Chinese culture, given for nearly any ailment.
这杯外带，谢谢。
Zhè bēi wàidài, xièxie.
This one is to go, thanks.
Telling the barista you want your drink for takeaway.
帮我做一杯不加奶的。
Bāng wǒ zuò yī bēi bù jiā nǎi de.
Make me one without milk.
Requesting a drink without dairy.
你们有什么推荐的？
Nǐmen yǒu shénme tuījiàn de?
What do you recommend?
Asking the staff at a drink shop for a recommendation.
请问有燕麦奶吗？
Qǐngwèn yǒu yànmài nǎi ma?
Do you have oat milk?
Asking about plant-based milk alternatives at a coffee shop.
我的咖啡好了吗？
Wǒ de kāfēi hǎo le ma?
Is my coffee ready?
Checking if your order is done at the pickup counter.
再来一杯一样的。
Zài lái yī bēi yīyàng de.
Another one of the same, please.
Ordering the same drink again.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Ordering Bubble Tea with Customizations
A customer (A) goes to a popular bubble tea shop and orders a customized drink from the clerk (B).
Speaker B
你好，欢迎光临！请问你要点什么？
Speaker A
我要一杯珍珠奶茶，大杯的。
Speaker B
好的。要什么糖度？全糖、半糖还是三分糖？
Speaker A
半糖，少冰。
Speaker B
要加什么配料吗？我们有椰果、芋圆和波霸。
Speaker A
加一份芋圆吧。一共多少钱？
Speaker B
大杯珍珠奶茶加芋圆，一共二十二块。扫码还是现金？
Speaker A
扫码。做好了叫我就行。
Cultural note: Chinese bubble tea shops offer an extraordinary level of customization. Customers choose not only the drink and toppings but also the exact sweetness level (usually on a scale from zero to full sugar) and ice level. This customization culture has become so refined that baristas confirm each detail before making the drink.
Coffee Break at the Office
Two coworkers (A and B) are deciding on an afternoon coffee run.
Speaker A
下午困死了，我想去买杯咖啡。你要不要？
Speaker B
好啊！帮我带一杯冰美式，不加糖。
Speaker A
你不觉得冰的太凉了吗？冬天喝热的不好吗？
Speaker B
我一年四季都喝冰的，已经习惯了。
Speaker A
哈哈，好吧。我还是喝热拿铁。你要大杯还是中杯？
Speaker B
中杯就行了，谢谢你！钱转给你。
Cultural note: In Chinese offices, it is common for one person to offer to buy coffee or milk tea for the group. The phrase "帮我带一杯" (bāng wǒ dài yī bēi, meaning "bring me a cup") is heard daily. Money is typically transferred instantly via WeChat Pay, making it easy to split costs.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Drinks & Coffee Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
7 of 36 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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