酒吧

• Pinyin: jiǔ bā
• Hanzi breakdown: 酒 = 氵 (water) + 酉 (wine vessel) — alcohol + 吧 = 口 (mouth) + 巴 (phonetic) — transliteration of 'bar'

Meaning

Bar; pub. A place where alcoholic drinks are served, often with music or entertainment.

The standard modern Chinese word for a drinking establishment. Borrowed conceptually from Western bar culture. Ranges from quiet wine bars to lively nightclubs. Common in urban areas. The 吧 here is a transliteration of English 'bar.' Also appears in compounds like 网吧 (internet cafe) and 氧吧 (oxygen bar).

Examples

1. 周末我和朋友们去酒吧坐了一会儿。 I went to a bar with my friends and hung out for a while at the weekend.
2. 这条街上有很多特色酒吧。 There are many unique bars on this street.
3. 他在一家酒吧当服务员。 He works as a waiter at a bar.

Usage Guide

Context: nightlife, socialising, entertainment

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 我们今晚去酒吧喝一杯吧。(Let's go to a bar for a drink tonight.)
• 这家酒吧的气氛很好。(This bar has a great atmosphere.)

Don't Say

• 我去酒吧吃午饭 (酒吧 is primarily for drinking, not dining — for a restaurant that also serves alcohol, say 餐厅 or 饭店)

Origin & History

A hybrid word: 酒 (alcohol, native Chinese) + 吧 (transliteration of English 'bar'), coined during the modernisation of Chinese nightlife vocabulary.

Cultural Context

Generation: Young adults and middle-aged

Social background: Urban