How to Say “Small coffee” in Chinese
Food and dining · HSK 2
"Small coffee" in Chinese is 小杯咖啡 (Xiǎo bēi kāfēi). At coffee chains in China like Luckin (瑞幸), Manner, or %Arabica, sizes are usually 小杯 (small), 中杯 (medium), 大杯 (large); note that 杯 (bēi) is both the measure word for cups and part of the size name, so you say 小杯 not 小个. At Starbucks (星巴克), Taiwan and Mainland still often use English size names (中杯/大杯/超大杯 corresponding to tall/grande/venti), which confuses people because 中杯 is the smallest size on the menu.
Primary translation
小杯咖啡
Xiǎo bēi kāfēi
When to use it
At coffee chains in China like Luckin (瑞幸), Manner, or %Arabica, sizes are usually 小杯 (small), 中杯 (medium), 大杯 (large); note that 杯 (bēi) is both the measure word for cups and part of the size name, so you say 小杯 not 小个. At Starbucks (星巴克), Taiwan and Mainland still often use English size names (中杯/大杯/超大杯 corresponding to tall/grande/venti), which confuses people because 中杯 is the smallest size on the menu. When ordering via the app (most people do; Luckin has no cashier), just tap the size. If ordering verbally, 来一杯小杯咖啡 (lái yì bēi xiǎo bēi kāfēi) works.
Example sentences
我要一杯小杯美式。
Wǒ yào yì bēi xiǎo bēi měishì.
I'd like a small Americano.
小杯咖啡多少钱？
Xiǎo bēi kāfēi duōshao qián?
How much is a small coffee?
给我来个小杯的就行。
Gěi wǒ lái ge xiǎo bēi de jiù xíng.
Just give me a small one.