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盃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
盃bēiglass, cupx, 9 strokes, radical 皿
bēi(bei1)bei T1
  1. 1glass, cup
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March 24, 2026

盃bēi(bei1)

The character 盃 (bēi) refers to a cup or glass, typically used for drinking. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as in dining settings or when discussing beverages. In Chinese culture, the act of toasting with 盃 is often associated with celebrations and hospitality.

Strokes9Radical皿
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese ceremonies, 盃 is often used to signify respect and honor, especially during wedding ceremonies where toasting with cups is a significant ritual. The shape of the cup also reflects the elegance valued in Chinese tea culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a beautifully crafted cup (盃) that holds your favorite drink. The top part of the character resembles the shape of a cup, and the bottom part can remind you of the base it stands on. Picture yourself raising this cup in a toast to remember its pronunciation: 'bēi' sounds like 'bay' where you might enjoy a drink by the water.

Meanings of 盃

bēi(bei1)
1glass, cup
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 盃

盃Simplified
9Strokes
皿Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 盃

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Podcast: 盃

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AI study notes for 盃

Quick Contrast

杯 (bēi) is a more common term for a cup or glass, while 盃 (bēi) is often used in more formal or traditional contexts.

Usage Notes

When using 盃, be careful not to confuse it with 杯 (bēi), which also means cup but is more commonly used in everyday language. 盃 tends to have a more formal or ceremonial connotation. Common collocations include 盃酒 (bēi jiǔ - cup of wine) and 盃茶 (bēi chá - cup of tea).

HSK Study Tips

盃 is not officially included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it can be useful for learners at HSK Level 3 and above when discussing food and drink. Students should focus on recognizing its form and understanding its cultural significance in toasting traditions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 盃 with 杯 because of their similar meanings and pronunciations. For example, saying '我喝了一盃水' (I drank a cup of water) should be corrected to '我喝了一杯水' using 杯.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 盃

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Etymology of 盃

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 不 represents the sound.

Memory hint

dish

Semantic (meaning)皿
+
Phonetic (sound)不
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

盃 = 皿 + 不. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 盃

IDS Structure⿱不皿
盃Full character
=
不bu4
top
皿min3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 盃?

How to say glass, cup in Chinese

“glass, cup” in Chinese is盃bēi

The character 盃 (bēi) refers to a cup or glass, typically used for drinking. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as in dining settings or when discussing beverages. In Chinese culture, the act of toasting with 盃 is often associated with celebrations and hospitality.

When to use 盃

When using 盃, be careful not to confuse it with 杯 (bēi), which also means cup but is more commonly used in everyday language. 盃 tends to have a more formal or ceremonial connotation. Common collocations include 盃酒 (bēi jiǔ - cup of wine) and 盃茶 (bēi chá - cup of tea).

盃 or something close to it

杯 (bēi) is a more common term for a cup or glass, while 盃 (bēi) is often used in more formal or traditional contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 盃 with 杯 because of their similar meanings and pronunciations. For example, saying '我喝了一盃水' (I drank a cup of water) should be corrected to '我喝了一杯水' using 杯.

Write 盃

盃

Practice writing 盃 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 盃

Words containing this character20
杯bēicup
世界杯shìjièbēiWorld Cup
干杯gānbēito drink a toast乾杯
杯子bēizicup
奖杯jiǎngbēitrophy cup獎杯
酒杯wine cup
亚洲杯Asian Cup亞洲杯
举杯to drink a toast舉杯
纸杯paper cup紙杯
茶杯teacup
玻璃杯drinking glass
杯水车薪lit. a cup of water on a burning cart of firewood (idiom); fig. an utterly inadequate measure杯水車薪
烧杯beaker (glassware)燒杯
戴维斯杯Davis Cup (international tennis team competition)戴維斯杯
捧杯to come out top
超级杯Super Cup (various sports)超級杯
汤姆斯杯Thomas Cup (international badminton team competition)湯姆斯杯
贪杯to drink in excess貪杯
高脚杯goblet高腳杯
交杯酒formal exchange of cups of wine between bride and groom as traditional wedding ceremony
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 盃

What does 杯 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 盃

盃 (bēi) is often used for more ceremonial or formal cups, while 杯 (bēi) is the more common term for a cup and is used in everyday conversation.

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