瓶子
píngzi/pʰiŋ³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/
In Chinese, the English word 'bottle' is expressed as 瓶子 (píngzi). Wiktionary also lists 瓶 (píng).
Meaning: container (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 瓶子 | píngzi | /pʰiŋ³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /pʰin²¹ t͡sɹ̩⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 瓶 | píng | /pʰiŋ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /pʰiɤ̯̃ɻ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA, 瓶兒 / 瓶儿) |
|
| 矸仔 | kan-á | /kan⁴⁴⁻²² a⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Xiamen) /kan³³ a⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Quanzhou) |
Hokkien |
The word refers to a container used to hold liquids.
Which one should you use?
The single character 瓶 is used as a classifier (measure word) to count bottles, whereas 瓶子 is used as a noun to refer to the object itself.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word пинзы is used in Dungan, while 矸仔 is used in Hokkien.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the noun 瓶子, the suffix 子 is a common way to turn a single-syllable noun into a disyllabic noun, which is the standard form in spoken Mandarin. When expressing 'a bottle of [liquid]', you use the structure [Number] + 瓶 + [Liquid], such as 一瓶水 (one bottle of water).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is píngzi.
Did you know?
- The suffix 子 in 瓶子 is a 'nominalizer' that has lost its original meaning of 'son' or 'child' over centuries of language evolution.
- In Chinese culture, an overturned 'bottle' or vase is sometimes seen as a sign of bad luck or a loss of wealth.
- The character 瓶 contains the radical for 'earthenware' or 'tile', meaning that it originally described a ceramic bottle rather than a glass one.
Examples in context
- 請來瓶紅酒。A bottle of red wine, please.This sentence is useful for requesting a specific item using the 瓶 form.Tatoeba #8215730 by verdastelo9604, translation #8249308 by francaisr0wlet
- 我要一瓶小水。I want a little bottle of water.This sentence demonstrates how to use the 瓶 form to specify a quantity of water.Tatoeba #6158477 by xjjAstrus, translation #7834612 by sharris123
- 我要一瓶冰水。I want a bottle of ice water.This sentence shows how to use the 瓶 form to specify a quantity of ice water.Tatoeba #6158478 by xjjAstrus, translation #6159779 by leishenki
- 我买了一瓶水。I bought a bottle of water.
- 我需要两瓶可乐。I need two bottles of cola.
- 这里有很多瓶瓶罐罐。There are many bottles here.
- 帮我打开那个瓶儿。Please open that bottle for me.
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zihan and Wei are tidying up the kitchen together.
- 梓涵 Zihan这个瓶子是空的吗？Zhège píngzi shì kōng de ma?Is this bottle empty?
- 伟 Wei是的，你可以把它扔了。Shì de, nǐ kěyǐ bǎ tā rēng le.Yes, you can throw it away.
- 梓涵 Zihan那我把瓶子放进回收桶里。Nà wǒ bǎ píngzi fàng jìn huíshōutǒng lǐ.Then I will put the bottle in the recycling bin.
- 伟 Wei太好了，谢谢你，梓涵。Tài hǎo le, xièxiè nǐ, Zǐhán.Great, thank you, Zihan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bottle” translations and entries 瓶子, 瓶, 矸仔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 瓶, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
