====== chábēi: 茶杯 - Teacup ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** chabei, 茶杯, Chinese teacup, what is a chabei, how to say teacup in Chinese, gongfu cha teacup, Chinese tea ceremony cup, small Chinese teacup, tea bowl vs teacup, bēizi vs chábēi
  * **Summary:** Learn the meaning and cultural significance of **茶杯 (chábēi)**, the Chinese word for "teacup." This guide explores everything from its basic definition to its central role in the Gongfu tea ceremony. Discover the difference between a traditional Chinese **茶杯 (chábēi)** and a Western mug, see practical example sentences, and understand its importance in Chinese hospitality.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** chábēi
  * **Part of Speech:** Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 2
  * **Concise Definition:** A cup used for drinking tea.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **茶杯 (chábēi)** is the direct and most common word for "teacup" in Mandarin Chinese. While it can refer to any cup used for tea, it most often evokes the image of a small, handle-less ceramic cup, especially the kind used in traditional Chinese tea ceremonies. It represents a focus on savoring the aroma and flavor of tea, rather than simply consuming a large volume.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **茶 (chá):** This character means "tea." The top radical `艹` (cǎo) is the "grass" radical, indicating it's a type of plant. The bottom part `余` provides the phonetic sound and originally depicted a type of tree, fitting for the tea plant.
  * **杯 (bēi):** This character means "cup." The left-side radical `木` (mù) means "wood," suggesting that early cups were often carved from wood. The right side `不` (bù) primarily provides the phonetic sound.
  * Together, 茶 (tea) + 杯 (cup) logically and literally form the word **茶杯 (teacup)**.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In Chinese culture, the **茶杯 (chábēi)** is more than just a vessel; it's a symbol of hospitality, social connection, and mindfulness.
The most culturally significant version is the small cup used in **工夫茶 (gōngfu chá)**, the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Its small size is intentional and serves several purposes:
  * **Concentrates Aroma:** The small opening gathers the tea's fragrance, allowing the drinker to fully appreciate its scent before sipping.
  * **Savoring Flavor:** It encourages small, deliberate sips, focusing the drinker's attention on the complex flavors of each infusion.
  * **Multiple Infusions:** High-quality Chinese tea can be steeped many times. The small cup allows participants to experience the evolving taste of the tea over multiple rounds.
  * **Social Bonding:** The act of repeatedly pouring tea for others from a shared pot fosters a sense of community and respect.
This contrasts sharply with the large Western mug. A mug is designed for volume, convenience, and retaining heat for a long time, often for a single serving of coffee or a tea bag. The **茶杯 (chábēi)**, in its traditional form, prioritizes the sensory experience and the ritual of sharing. Offering a guest a freshly poured **茶杯** of tea is a fundamental gesture of welcome and respect in any Chinese home or business setting.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
The term **茶杯 (chábēi)** is used in various everyday contexts.
  * **In Restaurants:** When you eat at almost any Chinese restaurant, a pot of tea and several small **茶杯** will be brought to your table, often as a complimentary part of the meal.
  * **At Home:** For casual drinking, many people use larger, mug-like cups (which they might just call `杯子 bēizi`), but for serving guests or enjoying a special tea, they will use a traditional set of **茶杯**.
  * **In Business:** A formal business meeting often begins with the host pouring tea for their guests into small **茶杯**. Accepting the cup (often with two fingers tapping the table to show thanks) is part of the established etiquette.
  * **As Gifts:** A beautiful set of ceramic or porcelain **茶杯** is a very common and appreciated gift, especially for elders or business associates.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 这是我的**茶杯**。
    * Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ de **chábēi**.
    * English: This is my teacup.
    * Analysis: A simple declarative sentence using **茶杯** to identify an object.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 服务员，请再给我一个干净的**茶杯**。
    * Pinyin: Fúwùyuán, qǐng zài gěi wǒ yī ge gānjìng de **chábēi**.
    * English: Waiter, please give me another clean teacup.
    * Analysis: A practical request you might make in a Chinese restaurant.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 这个紫砂**茶杯**很贵。
    * Pinyin: Zhè ge zǐshā **chábēi** hěn guì.
    * English: This Yixing clay teacup is very expensive.
    * Analysis: Shows how you can use adjectives to describe a **茶杯**. Zisha (紫砂) is a famous type of unglazed stoneware used for high-quality teaware.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 小心！**茶杯**里的水很烫。
    * Pinyin: Xiǎoxīn! **Chábēi** lǐ de shuǐ hěn tàng.
    * English: Be careful! The water in the teacup is very hot.
    * Analysis: A common warning. Note the use of `里 (lǐ)` to mean "inside."
  * **Example 5:**
    * 我不小心把**茶杯**打碎了。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn bǎ **chábēi** dǎsuì le.
    * English: I accidentally broke the teacup.
    * Analysis: This sentence uses the `把 (bǎ)` construction to show the disposal of an object. `打碎了 (dǎsuì le)` means "smashed to pieces."
  * **Example 6:**
    * 功夫茶用的**茶杯**通常都很小。
    * Pinyin: Gōngfu chá yòng de **chábēi** tōngcháng dōu hěn xiǎo.
    * English: The teacups used for Gongfu tea are usually very small.
    * Analysis: This sentence explains a key cultural fact about the specific teacups used in tea ceremonies.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 她送给我一套很漂亮的**茶杯**作为生日礼物。
    * Pinyin: Tā sòng gěi wǒ yī tào hěn piàoliang de **chábēi** zuòwéi shēngrì lǐwù.
    * English: She gave me a very beautiful set of teacups as a birthday present.
    * Analysis: `一套 (yī tào)` is the measure word for a "set" of things, commonly used with teacups and a teapot.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 请把你的**茶杯**递给我，我给你倒茶。
    * Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ nǐ de **chábēi** dì gěi wǒ, wǒ gěi nǐ dào chá.
    * English: Please pass me your teacup, I will pour tea for you.
    * Analysis: A polite phrase demonstrating the etiquette of hospitality. `倒茶 (dào chá)` means "to pour tea."
  * **Example 9:**
    * 桌子上放着一个茶壶和四个**茶杯**。
    * Pinyin: Zhuōzi shàng fàngzhe yī ge cháhú hé sì ge **chábēi**.
    * English: On the table, there is a teapot and four teacups.
    * Analysis: A simple descriptive sentence that shows **茶杯** in context with its companion, the teapot (`茶壶 cháhú`).
  * **Example 10:**
    * 干杯的时候，我们不用**茶杯**，用酒杯。
    * Pinyin: Gānbēi de shíhou, wǒmen bú yòng **chábēi**, yòng jiǔbēi.
    * English: When we "cheers" (toast), we don't use teacups, we use wine/liquor cups.
    * Analysis: This sentence clarifies the function of a **茶杯** by contrasting it with a `酒杯 (jiǔbēi)`, a cup for alcohol.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **茶杯 (chábēi) vs. 杯子 (bēizi):** This is the most critical distinction for learners.
    * **杯子 (bēizi)** is the general word for "cup" or "glass." It can be a coffee mug, a water glass, a plastic cup, or a teacup.
    * **茶杯 (chábēi)** specifically means "teacup."
    * **Rule of thumb:** Every **茶杯** is a **杯子**, but not every **杯子** is a **茶杯**. If you are drinking water from a small Chinese teacup, it's still physically a **茶杯**, but you could also refer to it as a **杯子**. If you are drinking tea from a large coffee mug, you would call it a **杯子**, not a **茶杯**.
  * **茶杯 (chábēi) vs. 茶碗 (cháwǎn):**
    * A **茶碗 (cháwǎn)** is a "tea bowl." It is typically larger and wider than a **茶杯** and has no lid. While historically important in China, today it is more closely associated with the Japanese ceremony for preparing matcha (powdered green tea). In modern Mandarin, **茶杯** is the default term for a teacup.
  * **Mistake:** Assuming a small teacup means the host is being stingy.
    * **Correction:** For English speakers accustomed to large mugs, the tiny size of a Gongfu **茶杯** can be surprising. It's crucial to understand this is a sign of respect, indicating the host is serving high-quality tea meant to be savored in small quantities over many infusions, not chugged.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[杯子]] (bēizi) - The general term for "cup" or "glass." **茶杯** is a specific type of **杯子**.
  * [[茶壶]] (cháhú) - Teapot. The vessel used to brew tea that is then poured into a **茶杯**.
  * [[茶叶]] (cháyè) - Tea leaves. The essential ingredient for making tea.
  * [[喝茶]] (hē chá) - To drink tea. The action performed with a **茶杯**.
  * [[工夫茶]] (gōngfu chá) - The traditional Chinese tea ceremony, which uses small, specialized **茶杯**.
  * [[茶馆]] (cháguǎn) - Teahouse. A public establishment for drinking tea and socializing.
  * [[茶盘]] (chápán) - Tea tray. A tray, often with drainage, used to hold the teapot, teacups, and catch spills during a tea ceremony.
  * [[茶碗]] (cháwǎn) - Tea bowl. A larger, wider vessel for tea, less common in modern daily use than a **茶杯**.
  * [[倒茶]] (dào chá) - To pour tea. The act of filling a **茶杯**.