咖啡

• Pinyin: kā fēi
• Hanzi breakdown: 咖 = 口 (mouth) + 加 (add, phonetic), purely phonetic; 啡 = 口 (mouth) + 非 (not, phonetic), purely phonetic

Meaning

Coffee. The popular beverage made from roasted coffee beans.

A loanword from English 'coffee.' Refers to both the drink and the bean. Common compounds include 咖啡馆 (coffee shop), 咖啡豆 (coffee beans), 咖啡机 (coffee machine). China's coffee culture has grown rapidly, especially in major cities.

Examples

1. 我每天早上都喝一杯咖啡。 I drink a cup of coffee every morning.
2. 你喜欢喝咖啡还是喝茶？ Do you prefer coffee or tea?
3. 我们去咖啡馆坐一会儿吧。 Let's go sit in a coffee shop for a while.

Usage Guide

Context: food and drink, everyday, social

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 请给我一杯咖啡。(A cup of coffee, please.)
• 我想请你喝咖啡。(I'd like to treat you to coffee.)

Don't Say

• 我要吃咖啡。(Don't say 吃咖啡 — use 喝 (drink) for beverages. Say 我要喝咖啡.)

Origin & History

A phonetic transliteration of the English word 'coffee,' which itself derives from Arabic 'qahwa.' Introduced to Chinese through trade in the modern era.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal