杯 (bēi) - cup, glass, trophy & a vessel for drinking

杯Tone 1

bēi ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 木

傲不

杯 · bēi

cup, glass, trophy;

a vessel for drinking;

prize or award in competitions.

cup, glass, trophya vessel for drinkingprize or award in competitions.

Usage highlights

a cup of teawine glasschampionship cupWorld Cupcoffee cupplastic cup

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 壶— pot, kettle (larger container)
  • 瓶— bottle (taller container)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Please pass me a cup of water (一杯水).
  • He won the championship cup (冠军杯).
  • This is a glass cup (玻璃杯).
  • We use paper cups for the party (纸杯).

Collocations

  • a cup of tea(一杯茶)
  • wine glass(酒杯)
  • championship cup(冠军杯)
  • World Cup(世界杯)
  • coffee cup(咖啡杯)
  • plastic cup(塑料杯)

Idioms

  • To be extremely cautious(如履薄冰, literally 'as if treading on thin ice', sometimes metaphorically extended to handling a full cup carefully)
  • A full cup is hard to carry without spilling(杯满难持)
  • To drain the cup in one gulp(一饮而尽)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, cups are essential in tea ceremonies and social drinking, symbolizing hospitality and friendship.
  • The character appears in modern terms like 'World Cup' (世界杯), showing its adaptation to international sports terminology.
  • Historically, cups were made from various materials including wood (reflected in the wood radical 木), ceramic, and bronze.

FAQ