咖啡
kāfēi
coffee
咖啡 is a loanword for coffee. Coffee culture is growing rapidly in Chinese cities, and knowing coffee-related vocabulary is useful for social and business settings.
Example sentences
我要一杯美式咖啡。
Wǒ yào yī bēi měishì kāfēi.
I want an Americano.
这家咖啡店很不错。
Zhè jiā kāfēi diàn hěn búcuò.
This coffee shop is pretty good.
How to use 咖啡 in practice
咖啡 is a food & drink item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin kāfēi, then connect it to the meaning “coffee” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 我要一杯美式咖啡。 / 这家咖啡店很不错。.
When you practice 咖啡, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 咖啡 only as “coffee” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Cafe ordering guide, start a short conversation, and use 咖啡 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 咖啡 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only kāfēi, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
How do I order a latte in Chinese?
Say 我要一杯拿铁. Most urban coffee shops in China understand coffee terms like 拿铁 (latte), 卡布奇诺 (cappuccino), and 美式 (Americano) directly.
How can I remember 咖啡 faster?
Say 咖啡 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 咖啡 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 咖啡 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach