| Walk down any commercial street in a Chinese city, and you’ll pass a coffee shop every few hundred metres. From fast-growing local chains to cosy neighbourhood cafes, coffee culture has exploded in China over the past decade. But for language learners, ordering your usual latte can feel like an unplanned vocabulary test: sizes, ice levels, sweetness, add-ons — all with specific terms you won’t find in most beginner textbooks. The good news is that coffee shop vocabulary follows a very predictable pattern. Once you learn the core terms, you can order almost any drink confidently. Let’s break it down step by step.  First, pick your size. Most Chinese coffee shops use three sizes, though small is often rare. 中杯 (zhōngbēi) — medium cup — is the standard default. If you want more, ask for 大杯 (dàbēi) — large cup. Many shops also offer 超大杯 (chāodà bēi) — extra large — for iced drinks. Second, choose your temperature and ice level. This is the step that trips up most new learners. If you want it hot, say 热饮 (rèyǐn). For iced drinks, you have options: 多冰 (duōbīng) — extra ice, 正常冰 (zhèngcháng bīng) — regular ice, 少冰 (shǎobīng) — less ice, and 去冰 (qùbīng) — no ice. There is also 常温 (chángwēn) — room temperature — a popular choice for people who want cold drinks without brain freeze. Third, adjust sweetness. Most shops use a sugar percentage system: 全糖 (quántáng) — full sugar, 七分糖 (qīfēn táng) — 70% sugar, 半糖 (bàntáng) — half sugar, 三分糖 (sānfēn táng) — 30% sugar, and 无糖 (wútáng) — no sugar. If you are used to less sweet drinks, start with half sugar — many Chinese coffee drinks are sweeter than Western standards. Finally, add extras if you want. Popular add-ons include 奶盖 (nǎigài) — creamy cheese foam top, 珍珠 (zhēnzhū) — tapioca pearls, 燕麦奶 (yànmài nǎi) — oat milk, and 浓缩加一份 (nóngsuō jiā yī fèn) — an extra espresso shot. Full Sample Dialogue Cashier: 您好，请问喝点什么？(Nín hǎo, qǐngwèn hē diǎn shénme?) “Hello, what would you like to drink?” You: 一杯中杯拿铁，少冰，半糖，谢谢。(Yī bēi zhōngbēi nátiě, shǎobīng, bàntáng, xièxie.) “One medium latte, less ice, half sugar, thanks.” Cashier: 好的，一共 28 元，扫码付款。(Hǎo de, yīgòng èrshíbā yuán, sǎomǎ fùkuǎn.) “Okay, that’s 28 yuan total, scan to pay.” |
| FOLLOW US： |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |