杯子

• Pinyin: bēi zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 杯 (cup) + 子 (noun suffix) — the cup as a physical object

Meaning

Cup; glass; mug. The physical drinking vessel itself.

Refers to the actual container rather than a measure of liquid. Used for cups, glasses, and mugs of any material. When you want to talk about the object (not the amount of liquid), use 杯子 instead of 杯.

Examples

1. 桌子上有一个杯子。 There is a cup on the table.
2. 这个杯子是我的。 This cup is mine.
3. 请帮我拿一个杯子。 Please help me get a cup.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, home

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你的杯子在哪里？(Where is your cup?)
• 我买了一个新杯子。(I bought a new cup.)

Don't Say

• 一杯子水 (Don't combine 杯子 with a number as a measure word — say 一杯水, not 一杯子水)

Origin & History

Compound of 杯 (cup) and 子 (noun suffix). Adding 子 to 杯 shifts the focus from the measure word to the physical object — the cup itself.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal