chábēi: 茶杯 - Teacup

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• Summary: Learn the meaning and cultural significance of 茶杯 (chábēi), the Chinese word for “teacup.” This guide explores everything from its basic definition to its central role in the Gongfu tea ceremony. Discover the difference between a traditional Chinese 茶杯 (chábēi) and a Western mug, see practical example sentences, and understand its importance in Chinese hospitality.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chábēi
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: A cup used for drinking tea.
• In a Nutshell: 茶杯 (chábēi) is the direct and most common word for “teacup” in Mandarin Chinese. While it can refer to any cup used for tea, it most often evokes the image of a small, handle-less ceramic cup, especially the kind used in traditional Chinese tea ceremonies. It represents a focus on savoring the aroma and flavor of tea, rather than simply consuming a large volume.

• 茶 (chá): This character means “tea.” The top radical `艹` (cǎo) is the “grass” radical, indicating it's a type of plant. The bottom part `余` provides the phonetic sound and originally depicted a type of tree, fitting for the tea plant.
• 杯 (bēi): This character means “cup.” The left-side radical `木` (mù) means “wood,” suggesting that early cups were often carved from wood. The right side `不` (bù) primarily provides the phonetic sound.
• Together, 茶 (tea) + 杯 (cup) logically and literally form the word 茶杯 (teacup).

In Chinese culture, the 茶杯 (chábēi) is more than just a vessel; it's a symbol of hospitality, social connection, and mindfulness. The most culturally significant version is the small cup used in 工夫茶 (gōngfu chá), the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Its small size is intentional and serves several purposes:

• Concentrates Aroma: The small opening gathers the tea's fragrance, allowing the drinker to fully appreciate its scent before sipping.
• Savoring Flavor: It encourages small, deliberate sips, focusing the drinker's attention on the complex flavors of each infusion.
• Multiple Infusions: High-quality Chinese tea can be steeped many times. The small cup allows participants to experience the evolving taste of the tea over multiple rounds.
• Social Bonding: The act of repeatedly pouring tea for others from a shared pot fosters a sense of community and respect.

This contrasts sharply with the large Western mug. A mug is designed for volume, convenience, and retaining heat for a long time, often for a single serving of coffee or a tea bag. The 茶杯 (chábēi), in its traditional form, prioritizes the sensory experience and the ritual of sharing. Offering a guest a freshly poured 茶杯 of tea is a fundamental gesture of welcome and respect in any Chinese home or business setting.

The term 茶杯 (chábēi) is used in various everyday contexts.

• In Restaurants: When you eat at almost any Chinese restaurant, a pot of tea and several small 茶杯 will be brought to your table, often as a complimentary part of the meal.
• At Home: For casual drinking, many people use larger, mug-like cups (which they might just call `杯子 bēizi`), but for serving guests or enjoying a special tea, they will use a traditional set of 茶杯.
• In Business: A formal business meeting often begins with the host pouring tea for their guests into small 茶杯. Accepting the cup (often with two fingers tapping the table to show thanks) is part of the established etiquette.
• As Gifts: A beautiful set of ceramic or porcelain 茶杯 is a very common and appreciated gift, especially for elders or business associates.

• Example 1:
  • 这是我的茶杯。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ de chábēi.
  • English: This is my teacup.
  • Analysis: A simple declarative sentence using 茶杯 to identify an object.
• Example 2:
  • 服务员，请再给我一个干净的茶杯。
  • Pinyin: Fúwùyuán, qǐng zài gěi wǒ yī ge gānjìng de chábēi.
  • English: Waiter, please give me another clean teacup.
  • Analysis: A practical request you might make in a Chinese restaurant.
• Example 3:
  • 这个紫砂茶杯很贵。
  • Pinyin: Zhè ge zǐshā chábēi hěn guì.
  • English: This Yixing clay teacup is very expensive.
  • Analysis: Shows how you can use adjectives to describe a 茶杯. Zisha (紫砂) is a famous type of unglazed stoneware used for high-quality teaware.
• Example 4:
  • 小心！茶杯里的水很烫。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎoxīn! Chábēi lǐ de shuǐ hěn tàng.
  • English: Be careful! The water in the teacup is very hot.
  • Analysis: A common warning. Note the use of `里 (lǐ)` to mean “inside.”
• Example 5:
  • 我不小心把茶杯打碎了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn bǎ chábēi dǎsuì le.
  • English: I accidentally broke the teacup.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the `把 (bǎ)` construction to show the disposal of an object. `打碎了 (dǎsuì le)` means “smashed to pieces.”
• Example 6:
  • 功夫茶用的茶杯通常都很小。
  • Pinyin: Gōngfu chá yòng de chábēi tōngcháng dōu hěn xiǎo.
  • English: The teacups used for Gongfu tea are usually very small.
  • Analysis: This sentence explains a key cultural fact about the specific teacups used in tea ceremonies.
• Example 7:
  • 她送给我一套很漂亮的茶杯作为生日礼物。
  • Pinyin: Tā sòng gěi wǒ yī tào hěn piàoliang de chábēi zuòwéi shēngrì lǐwù.
  • English: She gave me a very beautiful set of teacups as a birthday present.
  • Analysis: `一套 (yī tào)` is the measure word for a “set” of things, commonly used with teacups and a teapot.
• Example 8:
  • 请把你的茶杯递给我，我给你倒茶。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ nǐ de chábēi dì gěi wǒ, wǒ gěi nǐ dào chá.
  • English: Please pass me your teacup, I will pour tea for you.
  • Analysis: A polite phrase demonstrating the etiquette of hospitality. `倒茶 (dào chá)` means “to pour tea.”
• Example 9:
  • 桌子上放着一个茶壶和四个茶杯。
  • Pinyin: Zhuōzi shàng fàngzhe yī ge cháhú hé sì ge chábēi.
  • English: On the table, there is a teapot and four teacups.
  • Analysis: A simple descriptive sentence that shows 茶杯 in context with its companion, the teapot (`茶壶 cháhú`).
• Example 10:
  • 干杯的时候，我们不用茶杯，用酒杯。
  • Pinyin: Gānbēi de shíhou, wǒmen bú yòng chábēi, yòng jiǔbēi.
  • English: When we “cheers” (toast), we don't use teacups, we use wine/liquor cups.
  • Analysis: This sentence clarifies the function of a 茶杯 by contrasting it with a `酒杯 (jiǔbēi)`, a cup for alcohol.

• 茶杯 (chábēi) vs. 杯子 (bēizi): This is the most critical distinction for learners.
  • 杯子 (bēizi) is the general word for “cup” or “glass.” It can be a coffee mug, a water glass, a plastic cup, or a teacup.
  • 茶杯 (chábēi) specifically means “teacup.”
  • Rule of thumb: Every 茶杯 is a 杯子, but not every 杯子 is a 茶杯. If you are drinking water from a small Chinese teacup, it's still physically a 茶杯, but you could also refer to it as a 杯子. If you are drinking tea from a large coffee mug, you would call it a 杯子, not a 茶杯.
• 茶杯 (chábēi) vs. 茶碗 (cháwǎn):
  • A 茶碗 (cháwǎn) is a “tea bowl.” It is typically larger and wider than a 茶杯 and has no lid. While historically important in China, today it is more closely associated with the Japanese ceremony for preparing matcha (powdered green tea). In modern Mandarin, 茶杯 is the default term for a teacup.
• Mistake: Assuming a small teacup means the host is being stingy.
  • Correction: For English speakers accustomed to large mugs, the tiny size of a Gongfu 茶杯 can be surprising. It's crucial to understand this is a sign of respect, indicating the host is serving high-quality tea meant to be savored in small quantities over many infusions, not chugged.

• 杯子 (bēizi) - The general term for “cup” or “glass.” 茶杯 is a specific type of 杯子.
• 茶壶 (cháhú) - Teapot. The vessel used to brew tea that is then poured into a 茶杯.
• 茶叶 (cháyè) - Tea leaves. The essential ingredient for making tea.
• 喝茶 (hē chá) - To drink tea. The action performed with a 茶杯.
• 工夫茶 (gōngfu chá) - The traditional Chinese tea ceremony, which uses small, specialized 茶杯.
• 茶馆 (cháguǎn) - Teahouse. A public establishment for drinking tea and socializing.
• 茶盘 (chápán) - Tea tray. A tray, often with drainage, used to hold the teapot, teacups, and catch spills during a tea ceremony.
• 茶碗 (cháwǎn) - Tea bowl. A larger, wider vessel for tea, less common in modern daily use than a 茶杯.
• 倒茶 (dào chá) - To pour tea. The act of filling a 茶杯.