Meaning
杯子 is the everyday word for a drinking vessel—whether it's a coffee mug, water glass, teacup, or tumbler. The character 杯 means 'cup' and 子 is a common noun suffix in Mandarin. Native speakers use this word constantly in daily life when referring to any container for beverages.
Usage
This is the standard, neutral term for any drinking cup or glass. You'll hear it in homes, restaurants, and offices. When ordering drinks, people say 一杯咖啡 (a cup of coffee) or 两杯水 (two glasses of water). The classifier 个 is most common, though 杯 itself can function as a measure word when counting servings of drinks.
Examples
- 01请给我一个干净的杯子。.Please give me a clean cup.
- 02桌子上有两个杯子。.There are two cups on the table.
Characters
Measure words
- 个三个杯子
- 只一只杯子
Common collocations
- 一杯水a glass of water
- 洗杯子to wash cups/glasses
- 拿杯子to take/get a cup
- 茶杯子teacup
Origin
杯 is an ancient character with the wood radical 木, originally depicting a wooden drinking vessel. 子 is a diminutive suffix that makes many nouns more colloquial and concrete in everyday speech.