Café & Drinks

1. 来一杯茶

   Lái yī bēi chá

   One cup of tea, please

   Usage

   Used to order tea at a restaurant or teahouse

   Grammar Note

   "来 + measure word + item" is a colloquial ordering expression. "来两杯" = two cups, please.

2. 有什么茶？

   Yǒu shénme chá?

   What kinds of tea do you have?

   Usage

   Used at a teahouse or Chinese restaurant to ask about tea varieties

   Grammar Note

   China has many teas: Longjing (green), Tieguanyin (oolong), Pu'er (dark). Ask at a teahouse to learn more.

3. 来一瓶矿泉水

   Lái yī píng kuàngquán shuǐ

   One bottle of mineral water, please

   Usage

   Used to order bottled water, which is essential in China as tap water is not safe to drink

   Grammar Note

   "瓶 (píng)" is the measure word for bottles. "一瓶" = one bottle, "两瓶" = two bottles.

4. 来一瓶啤酒

   Lái yī píng píjiǔ

   One bottle of beer, please

   Usage

   Used to order beer at a restaurant or outdoor food stall

   Grammar Note

   Famous Chinese beers include Tsingtao and Snow. For chilled beer, say "冰镇啤酒 (bīngzhèn píjiǔ)".

5. 来一杯白酒

   Lái yī bēi báijiǔ

   One glass of baijiu, please

   Usage

   Used to order baijiu, China's traditional distilled spirit, at a banquet or business dinner

   Grammar Note

   Baijiu is 40–60% ABV. "干杯 (Gān bēi)" (cheers/bottoms up) is very common at Chinese banquets.

6. 我要一杯咖啡，不加糖

   Wǒ yào yī bēi kāfēi, bù jiā táng

   I'd like a coffee, no sugar please

   Usage

   Used to customize a coffee order at a café

   Grammar Note

   "不加 + ingredient" = without. "不加奶" = no milk, "少糖" = less sugar. Useful for customizing drinks.

7. 来一杯热饮

   Lái yī bēi rè yǐn

   One hot drink, please

   Usage

   Used to order a hot beverage, especially in cold weather

   Grammar Note

   "热 (rè)" = hot, "冷 (lěng)" = cold. "冰饮 (bīng yǐn)" = cold/iced drink.

8. 干杯！

   Gān bēi!

   Cheers! / Bottoms up!

   Usage

   Used when clinking glasses at a banquet, dinner, or celebration

   Grammar Note

   Literally "empty the cup". If you don't want to drink it all, say "随意 (Suí yì)" meaning "as you like / freely".

9. 这杯饮料多少钱？

   Zhè bēi yǐnliào duōshǎo qián?

   How much is this drink?

   Usage

   Used to ask the price of a drink

   Grammar Note

   "多少钱?" is one of the most important shopping phrases in Chinese. Works for any item or service.

10. 我不喝酒

    Wǒ bù hē jiǔ

    I don't drink alcohol

    Usage

    Used to decline alcohol or inform others that you do not drink

    Grammar Note

    In Chinese banquets, drinking is often strongly encouraged. Adding "我开车" (I'm driving) helps decline politely.

11. 不加冰

    Bù jiā bīng

    No ice

    Usage

    Tells the server to leave the ice out of a drink

12. 矿泉水

    Kuàngquánshuǐ

    Mineral water

    Usage

    Asks for bottled water as safe drinking water

13. 热水

    Rèshuǐ

    Hot water

    Usage

    Asks for hot water; freshly boiled water is "kāishuǐ"

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