Mandarin Chinese Coffee Vocabulary

In addition to having the one of the strongest tea cultures in the world, coffee culture is also exploding in China. As of July 2015, Coffee Consumption is in a growth cycle of 7x the global average, about 25% to 30% year on year.① With Coffee Cafe’s popping up everywhere, themes and gimmicks to set them apart from the rest are popping up too! You can hang out with docile, pettable cats in a cat cafe while drinking coffee, or you can drink coffee made from beans that cats have pooped out! (猫屎咖啡 – Māo shǐ kāfēi is also known as Kopi Luwak, or civet Coffee – lit. Cat Feces Coffee.) You can even visit the re-created set of FRIENDS in Shanghai and have a cup of Joe(y) at Central Perk.② Regardless of your preference of location or fake TV coffee shop, there is something for every stripe of coffee lover in China.
When you visit, you will need to know what to say, so without further adieu, here are some useful vocabulary and phrases for ordering Coffee in China.
Coffee: 咖啡 (kāfēi)
  • I want coffee. 我要咖啡 (wǒ yào kāfēi.)
  • I want a medium coffee. 我要中杯咖啡 (Wǒ yào zhōng bēi kāfēi)
  • I want a large coffee. 我要大杯咖啡 (Wǒ yào dà bēi kāfē)
  • I want another cup of coffee. 我要再来一杯咖啡 (Wǒ yào zàilái yìbēi kāfēi)
Espresso: 浓缩咖啡 (nóngsuō kāfēi)
Cappuccino: 卡布奇诺 (kǎbùqínuò)
Refill: 续杯 (xùbēi)
  • Do you give free refills? 你们这免费续杯吗？ (Nǐmen zhè miǎnfèi xù bēi ma？)
Sugar: 糖 (tang)
Milk: 牛奶 (niúnǎi)
Iced Coffee: 冰咖啡 (Bīng kāfēi)
Hot Coffee: 热咖啡 (Rè kāfēi)
Depending on where you are ordering in China, coffee can cost anywhere from 7RMB to 30RMB per cup. Typically, larger chains such as Costa or Starbucks will command a higher price, with luxury boutiques being even higher. Upscale imported Italian coffee bars, or at the infamous aforementioned 猫屎咖啡, being upwards of 100RMB per cup. With the upward trend of Chinese becoming cash rich and time poor, Chinese consumers are willing to pay more for convenience as opposed to taking the time to wash a tea set, and with Starbucks projecting a growth of over 1500 stores up to 3000 by 2019, it seems that coffee is set to dominate as the drink of choice for up and coming Chinese youth. With the shift from coffee being a lifestyle product for Tier 1 cities, to a functional drink for mass consumption, Coffee is really catching on in China!
What are your thoughts? Do you like coffee? What words would you add to this list?
Key Words: Coffee Vocabulary in Chinese, Coffee in Mandarin, Learn Chinese 
Next Zuckerberg looking for Mandarin-speaking nanny for $110,000/year

Back


Twitter HTSIC
Related Articles:
7 of the best websites to watch Chinese and foreign movies
What NOT to Give Your Chinese Friends
10 Must-Have Apps For Traveling to China
Remember !! Don't Overstaying your visa on the Chinese mainland
Types of Taxes in China

评论

发表评论

热门博文

Mandarin Phrases with double meanings

图片
As language evolves, it goes without saying that meaning will alter or even completely change. This is true for all languages and Mandarin is no exception. So, let’s look at a few seemingly innocent phrases and their hidden meanings. 戴绿帽子 dai lu maozi: To wear a green hat This is an unusual concept but nonetheless very interesting. Ever wondered why you get more than the usual weird looks when you wear a green hat? During the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang made it a law for all men working in the prostitution trade to wear green hats. Later on, this green hat was used to identify a man whose wife had been unfaithful and thus, “made him wear a green hat.” This is why you will never see a Chinese person, especially a man, wearing a green hat. It infers that his wife has been unfaithful 吃软饭 chi ruan fan: To eat soft rice Literally this phrase means “to eat soft rice” but has the interpretative meaning of a man who is supported financially by a female. 飞机场 fei ji
阅读全文

Shanghai's 9 Most Intense Matcha Desserts

图片
Green tea has been around since the Chinese discovered its 'awakening' effects helped them meditate back in the Tang dynasty (609-705), but it was the Zen Buddist sect of 12th Century Japan who refined it into the bright green powder you see today. They did this by growing it in the shade to produce a theanine-rich, caffeinated tea and then powdering it.  Along the way, Japanese patissiers and confectioners discovered it tastes absolutely fucking delicious in cakes, ice cream, mochi, Swiss rolls, Napoleons – pretty much everything. So when it comes to matcha desserts, you're either a part of the niche that loves them, or you haven't been enlightened yet...  Here's a list of the most matcha-y desserts you'll find in Shanghai, from one matchaphile to another. 1. Tea Funny's Matcha Cookie Cups With Yongkang Lu having sobered up after the Xuhui Mayor staged an intervention last year, the street has cleaned up its act with a host of teetotal cafés
阅读全文

5 things foreigners envy about life in China

图片
Though foreigners are idolized in China, it’s crystal clear that there are still some things foreigners envy about China and the Chinese. If not, how can you explain the boom in the rate of students, businessmen and workers in China? It’s true that most expats can mention one hundred and one things they don’t like about China or Chinese people but yet we seem deep rooted and refuse to leave China and go back to our different countries for one reason or another. So what are these things that expats treasure most about China? 1. Low prices.  This is one of the best things that foreigners envy most about China. From the cost of food, to clothes, shoes, transportation and bills such as school fees and utilities the cost of living here is relatively low compared to other countries. Newcomers that check the price of some goods in Alibaba and Taobao are astonished by what they find. You get to see the obvious power of low price in clothing (designer brands excluded) and shoes. For stu
阅读全文

9 Reasons Y you’ll Never Find the Love of Your Life in Shanghai

图片
Living in Shanghai might be one of your most exciting (and most confusing) experiences in life. This colorful crazy city gives you the chance of a fun and vivid social life and endless opportunities to meet new people (mostly when you are drunk). Also, it’s not that hard to get to know a guy (again, mostly when your are drunk)- definitely not as hard as back home - at least that’s what I find. Dating is a normal thing to do (although no one really knows what dating is supposed to look like these days…). You will eventually find a guy you really like - let’s say you meet each other at the Shangri La pool party - and you think the two of you would just be perfect for each other. But somehow you never end up having this amazing relationship you ever dreamed of / you always hear about. And here is why: 1. You are only here for a limited amount of time Whether you get here as an exchange student, an intern, or postgraduate - you most likely won’t spend the rest of your life in
阅读全文

14 Things to Know Before Moving to China As an Expat

图片
Living in China was an amazing experience. Although we were quite happy most of the time, there are a few things I wish we had known before moving to China as an expat. So if you’re considering living in China, for example as an ESL teacher or to study Chinese, here are a few things you should know before making the move. 1.     The majority of people speak very little English Although this is true for a lot of countries, it is especially true for China. Even in big cities you’ll often have problems finding someone who speaks English. There are of course people in China who do speak English and speak it really well, but the majority don’t. So, what does this mean for you, future (or current) expats of China? Keep calm and learn Chinese! 2.     The work ethic may be very different than what you’re used to Working and living in China is a great experience. But you should know that the work ethic may be very different to what it is like in your home country. China is huge,
阅读全文