Measure Word 杯 (bēi) for Cups/Glasses

Chinese grammar loves order. You can't just throw numbers and nouns together. Imagine a sandwich where the number is the bottom bread. The noun is the top bread. The measure word is the filling that holds it together. For 杯 (bēi), the logic is simple. You are counting the *containers*, not the liquid itself. You aren't counting the coffee molecules. You are counting the physical cups sitting on the table. This word works for both hot and cold drinks. It doesn't matter if it is a ceramic mug or a tall glass. If it is shaped like a cup, 杯 (bēi) is the word you need. It is also a "moveable" measure word. This means it can function as a noun too! You can say "I bought a cup" using the same character. But today, we focus on its job as a counter. It makes your Chinese sound smooth and natural. Without it, your sentences feel like they are missing a vital organ.

1. 1Using 杯 (bēi) follows a very strict, reliable 1-2-3 step process.
2. 2Start with a Number or a Demonstrative. This could be 一 (yī, one), 这 (zhè, this), or 那 (nà, that).
3. 3Add the measure word 杯 (bēi) right in the middle.
4. 4Finish with the Noun (the drink).
5. 5Structure: [Number/Demonstrative] + 杯 + [Noun]
6. 6Example 1: 一 (one) + 杯 (cup) + 茶 (tea) = 一杯茶 (a cup of tea).
7. 7Example 2: 那 (that) + 杯 (cup) + 可乐 (cola) = 那杯可乐 (that glass of cola).
8. 8If you want to ask "how many cups," you swap the number for 几 (jǐ).
9. 9Example: 你要几杯？ (Nǐ yào jǐ bēi? - How many cups do you want?).
10. 10It is like a Lego set. Once you know the pieces, you just snap them together.

You will use 杯 (bēi) in almost every social dining situation.

• Ordering at a Café: This is the most common use. Whether it's 一杯美式 (an Americano) or 两杯拿铁 (two lattes).
• At a Restaurant: When the waiter asks what you want to drink. You might say 一杯冰水 (a glass of ice water).
• At a Bar: Ordering drinks with friends? You'll need 三杯啤酒 (three glasses of beer).
• Offering Hospitality: If a friend comes over, you ask, "Do you want a cup of tea?" (你要喝一杯茶吗？).
• Describing a Scene: "There is a cup of milk on the table." (桌子上有一杯牛奶。).

Think of it as the "Standard Beverage Unit." If the liquid is served in something you can hold with one hand that doesn't have a lid you have to unscrew, 杯 is likely the winner. Even bubble tea, which comes in plastic, uses 杯 because it is served in a cup shape.

Don't let the "liquid" rule fool you into using 杯 for everything wet.

• Bottles: If the drink is in a bottle with a cap, use 瓶 (píng). Think of a bottle of wine or a plastic water bottle from a convenience store.
• Bowls: If you are eating soup, you usually use 碗 (wǎn, bowl). Soup is food, and food usually lives in bowls, not cups.
• Small Pours: If you are doing traditional Chinese tea ceremonies with tiny thimble-sized cups, you still use 杯, but for shots of liquor, people sometimes use 个 (gè) or 小杯 (xiǎobēi).
• Bulk Quantities: You wouldn't use it for a gallon of milk or a pitcher of juice. For pitchers, we use 壶 (hú) or 扎 (zhā).
• Non-liquids: This seems obvious, but don't use it for solids. You can't have "a cup of apple" unless it is juiced!

Yes, even native speakers might slip up in a hurry, but you can avoid these classic traps.

• Forgetting the Number: In English, we say "Give me cup of tea." In Chinese, you must say 一 (yī) before 杯 if you mean "a" cup. Don't just say 我要杯茶. Say 我要一杯茶.
• Using 个 (gè) for everything: 个 is the "universal" measure word, but using it for drinks sounds very "beginner." It’s like saying "one unit of water" instead of "a glass of water." It works, but it's not elegant.
• Mixing up 杯 (bēi) and 北 (běi): Watch your tones! 杯 is 1st tone (high and flat). 北 is 3rd tone (low and dipping). You don't want to accidentally order "one North of coffee."
• Plurality confusion: In Chinese, the measure word doesn't change for plurals. 一杯 (one cup) and 五杯 (five cups) both use the exact same 杯. Don't try to add an "s" or change the word!

How do you choose between 杯 (bēi), 瓶 (píng), and 壶 (hú)?

• 杯 (bēi) vs. 瓶 (píng): Use 杯 for what you drink *from* at the table. Use 瓶 for what you buy *from* the shelf. You pour a 瓶 (bottle) of beer into a 杯 (glass).
• 杯 (bēi) vs. 壶 (hú): 壶 is for pots. If you order a whole pot of tea for the table to share, use 壶. If you just want one individual serving for yourself, use 杯.
• 杯 (bēi) vs. 份 (fèn): 份 is for a "set" or a "portion." At a fast-food place, a "set meal" is 一份套餐. But the drink inside that set is still 一杯可乐.