杯杯 (bēi bēi) — (classifier, reduplicated) every cup, each cup (of a beverage)

Definition

Reduplicated classifier 杯: 'every cup (of)' — pairs with 都 to mean each and every one individually. Use only with the cup classifier, not other containers.

classifier
(classifier, reduplicated) every cupeach cup (of a beverage)

Examples

  • 杯杯。
    Tā bēi bēi chá dōu hē dé hěn màn.
    He drinks every cup of tea very slowly.
  • 杯杯。
    Tā bēi bēi kā fēi dōu yào jiā táng.
    She adds sugar to every cup of coffee.
  • 杯杯。
    Zhè lǐ bēi bēi jiǔ dū shì zuì hǎo de.
    Every cup of wine here is the best.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

杯bēicup
杯bēicup

杯 means cup; doubling it gives every cup or each cup.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
不
不bù杯bēi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

杯 is built from 木, meaning wood, and 不, which gives the sound.

Open 杯 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
不
不bù杯bēi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

杯 is built from 木, meaning wood, and 不, which gives the sound.

Open 杯 →

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