7.7: Things to drink

Traditionally, Chinese quenched their thirst with soup (often simply the water used to boil vegetables) or, if they could afford it, tea (which was introduced to China from India around the beginning of the Tang dynasty). For formal occasions, there were varieties of jiŭ, alcoholic drinks made from grains, such as rice and millet.

Nowadays, soup, tea and boiled water (kāishuĭ ‘open water’) are still probably the main beverages, but with increasing affluence and foreign commercial influence, drinking practices are changing, particularly in urban areas. Iced drinks, which were traditionally regarded as unhealthy – as they probably are – are now common. Soy milk drinks are popular, and even cow’s milk is gaining acceptance (despite widespread lactose intolerance). With the rise of fancy restaurants and cocktail bars, alcohol drinking practices are changing too. A Franco-Chinese joint enterprise is producing wines made with grapes under the Dynasty (Cháodài) label. Brandies and whiskeys are quite popular. Foreign wines and spirits (yángjiŭ), are drunk in different fashion in China. Grape wines and spirits, for example, are sometimes mixed with carbonated drinks, or are watered down and drunk with meals. Spirits, served in small glasses or cups, are more compatible with Chinese practices of toasting (cf. §8.4.5) than are grape wines served in larger amounts.

Non-alcoholic

chá	tea	kāfēi	coffee
kĕlè	cola [generic]	kāishuĭ	boiled water
qìshuĭ	carbonated drinks; soda	júzi shuǐ	orange juice
guǒzhī	fruit juice	níngméngzhī	lemonade
niúnăi	milk	dòujiāng	soybean milk
kuàngquánshuǐ	mineral water (mineral-spring-water)

 

Kékŏu kĕlè	Coke	Băishì kĕlè	Pepsi
Xuĕbì	Sprite (snow-azure)	Qī Xǐ	7 Up

Alcoholic (jiŭ)

yángjiŭ

(‘foreign-wine’); any foreign alcoholic drinks, both wines and spirits

Milder drinks -- ‘wines’ and beers

píjiŭ	beer	zhāpí, shēngpí	draft beer
mĭjiŭ	rice wine	pútaojiŭ	wine (grape-wine)
hóngjiŭ	red wine	báipútaojiŭ	white wine
hóngpútaojiŭ	red wine (red+grape-wine)	Shàoxīngjiŭ	a smooth rice wine, often served hot, from Shàoxīng in Zhèjiāng province.

Spirits

báijiŭ	generic white spirit, with high alcohol content.
liángshíjiŭ	generic name for wines made from grains.
gāoliang <jiŭ>	a white spirit made from gaoliang, or ‘sorghum’.
Máotái <jiŭ>	the most famous of Chinese liquors, from Maotai in Guìzhōu.
Wŭliángyè	(‘5-grains-liquid’); a popular grain liquor with a medicinal taste.

The syllable pí in píjiŭ derives from the English word ‘beer’; jiŭ is generic for alcoholic drinks. Nowadays, there are a large number of popular beers in China, eg Yànjīng píjiŭ (from Yànjīng, an old name for Bĕijīng), Shànghăi píjiŭ, Wŭxīng píjiŭ (‘5 star’), Xuĕlù píjiŭ (‘snow deer’) and Qīngdăo píjiŭ, named after the city of Qīngdăo in Shandong. The Qīngdăo Co. was originally a German brewery, set up in the German concession in Shandong.

Exercise 4

You can practice ordering drinks in succinct language, stating the item first, and then the amount: Niúnǎi, yì bēi. ‘A glass of milk.’ Typically, soft drinks are now served cold (albeit sometimes at a slightly higher price), but if not, you can request a cold one by saying bīng de ‘ice one’, or yào bīng de ‘want ice one’. In ordinary places, ice is not usually added to drinks, possibly because people are aware that it may be made from nonpotable sources. But to be sure, you may want to add bú yào bīngkuài ‘not want ice cubes’ or, more politely, qǐng bié jiā bīngkuài ‘request don’t add ice cubes’. Now, following the model above, try ordering the following:

1. A glass of coke; check to see if they have cold ones.

2. A bottle of orange juice.

3. 2 bottles of cold beer.

4. Tea for two; and a cup of boiled water.

5. 2 bottles of mineral water.

6. Find out if they have draft beer; if so, order two mugs.

7. 2 cups of coffee with milk.

8. Find out what kinds of soda they have; order two bottles or glasses

Dialogue

Huáng Jūrén (male) hears a knock on the door and recognizes his friend, Zhèng Chūnhuá (female). He addresses her with the personal xiǎo+last syllable of míngzi:

Hg.	Shéi a?	Who is it?
Zh.	Wŏ shi Zhèng Chūnhuá.	I’m Zhèng Chūnhuá.
Hg.	O, Xiăohuá, qǐngjìn, qǐngzuò.	Oh, Xiăohuá, come on in, have a seat.
Zh.	Xièxie. Ài, jīntiān rè jíle!	Thanks. Gosh, it’s so hot today!
Hg.	Ng. Nà nĭ hē yìdiănr shénme?  Yǒu kĕlè, níngméngzhī, píjiŭ.	Sure is. What’ll you have to drink? There’s cola, lemonade, beer.
Zh.	Bú yòng le, bú yòng le.	No need! [I’m fine.]
Hg.	Nĭ bié kèqi. Hē ba!	Relax! Have something!
Zh.	Hăo, nà lái <yì> bēi lǜchá ba.	Okay, bring a cup of green tea, please.
Hg.	Hăo, lǜchá….Nĭ zuìjìn zĕnmeyàng?	Okay, green tea….How are you doing these days?
Zh.	Hái kěyǐ. Zuótiān yǒu diănr bù shūfu, dànshì xiànzài hăo le.	I’m okay. I didn’t feel too well yesterday, but I’m okay now.
Hg.	Nĭ tài máng le!	You’re too busy!
Zh.	Shì yǒu diănr máng! Nĭ yĕ shì. Xuéshēng zǒngshi hĕn máng hĕn lèi a!	I am a bit! You too! Students are always tired and busy.

Notes

1. Other teas: lóngjǐng chá a type of green tea; wūlóng chá ‘oolong tea’; júhuāchá ‘chrysanthemum tea; [Yīngguó] nǎichá ‘(English milk-tea)’.

2. Zuìjìn ‘recently; these days’.