瓶子

• Pinyin: píng zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 瓶 (píng) — bottle; 子 (zi) — noun suffix

Meaning

Bottle; a container made of glass, plastic, or other material for holding liquids.

The noun form specifically referring to the physical container, as opposed to 瓶 which also functions as a measure word. 瓶子 emphasises the object itself — its shape, material, or appearance. Used when talking about the bottle as a thing rather than its contents.

Examples

1. 这个瓶子是玻璃做的。 This bottle is made of glass.
2. 把空瓶子扔到垃圾桶里。 Throw the empty bottles in the bin.
3. 她用瓶子装了一些花。 She used a bottle to hold some flowers.

Usage Guide

Context: household, recycling, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这个瓶子很好看。(This bottle looks nice.)
• 小心，瓶子会碎。(Be careful — the bottle might break.)

Don't Say

• 瓶子不能当量词用 (Don't use 瓶子 as a measure word — say 一瓶水 not 一瓶子水; use 瓶 alone when counting bottled items)

Origin & History

瓶 (píng, bottle) + 子 (zi, noun suffix). The suffix 子 turns the measure word into a purely nominal form emphasising the physical object.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal