杯 (bēi) — For Cups and Glasses of Drink
The measure word for beverages
Category: Measure Words
The Rule
杯 (bēi) means 'cup/glass' and is used as a measure word for drinks served in cups or glasses: coffee, tea, water, beer, wine, juice.
Why This Matters
This is one of the easiest measure words because 杯 literally means 'cup'. It works exactly like English 'a cup of coffee' or 'a glass of water', except in Chinese this pattern is mandatory for counting drinks. English speakers pick this up quickly because the concept already exists in their language.
Examples
• 一杯咖啡 (yì bēi kāfēi) — "a cup of coffee" [Exactly like English 'a cup of coffee'] • 两杯茶 (liǎng bēi chá) — "two cups of tea" [茶 (chá) = tea] • 三杯水 (sān bēi shuǐ) — "three glasses of water" [杯 covers both cups and glasses] • 来一杯啤酒 (lái yì bēi píjiǔ) — "I'll have a beer (lit: bring one cup of beer)" [Very useful phrase for ordering at restaurants]
Common Mistakes
❌ 一个咖啡 (yí gè kāfēi) ✅ 一杯咖啡 (yì bēi kāfēi) → While 个 might be understood, ordering 一个咖啡 at a Chinese café sounds like you want 'one coffee object' rather than 'a cup of coffee'. ❌ Using 杯 for bottled drinks: 一杯可乐 for a bottle ✅ 一瓶可乐 (yì píng kělè) for a bottle, 一杯可乐 for a glass → 杯 is specifically for cup/glass servings. If the drink comes in a bottle, use 瓶 (píng, bottle). If in a can, use 罐 (guàn, can).
Quick Tip
At a restaurant, 来一杯... (lái yì bēi...) is the most natural way to order a drink. It literally means 'bring one cup of...'
At a restaurant, 来一杯... (lái yì bēi...) is the most natural way to order a drink. It literally means 'bring one cup of...'
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: 一个咖啡 (yí gè kāfēi) → Correct: 一杯咖啡 (yì bēi kāfēi). While 个 might be understood, ordering 一个咖啡 at a Chinese café sounds like you want 'one coffee object' rather than 'a cup of coffee'.
Incorrect: Using 杯 for bottled drinks: 一杯可乐 for a bottle → Correct: 一瓶可乐 (yì píng kělè) for a bottle, 一杯可乐 for a glass. 杯 is specifically for cup/glass servings. If the drink comes in a bottle, use 瓶 (píng, bottle). If in a can, use 罐 (guàn, can).
Quiz
How do you order 'two cups of tea' in Chinese?