noun HSK 4
bōli bēi
glass (drinking vessel) · glass cup · tumbler

Meaning

A common household word referring to any drinking glass made of glass material. It's a compound noun combining 玻璃 (glass material) and 杯 (cup/drinking vessel). This is the standard term for what English speakers would call a drinking glass.

Usage

Used in everyday contexts when referring to glass drinking vessels, as opposed to ceramic cups (茶杯) or paper cups (纸杯). Chinese speakers often specify the material of drinking vessels, so this term is very commonly heard in homes, restaurants, and shops.

Examples

  1. 01
    请给我一个干净的玻璃杯
    Qǐng gěi gānjìng de bōli bēi.
    Please give me a clean glass.
  2. 02
    这个玻璃杯是从法国买的。
    Zhège bōli bēi shì cóng Fǎguó mǎi de.
    This glass was bought from France.

Characters

Measure words

  • 一个玻璃杯
  • zhī两只玻璃杯

Common collocations

  • 一个玻璃杯
    bōli bēi
    a glass
  • 玻璃杯碎了
    bōli bēi suì le
    the glass broke
  • 玻璃杯
    bōli bēi
    wash the glass

Origin

玻璃 is a loanword from Sanskrit, originally referring to glass or crystal material. Combined with 杯 (cup), it creates the specific term for a glass drinking vessel.

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