How to Say "Ice Cream" in Chinese

冰淇淋

bīngqílín

Ice cream in Chinese is 冰淇淋 (bīngqílín). Wiktionary also lists 雪糕 (xuěgāo) and 冰糕 (bīnggāo).

Meaning: dessert (noun)

Ways to say it

The term refers to the frozen dessert.

The character 冰 (bīng) means ice and 雪 (xuě) means snow.

冰淇淋 usually refers to creamy, scooped ice cream, whereas 雪糕 often refers to frozen treats on a stick, such as popsicles or ice bars.

冰激凌 is a common variant used in Mainland China.

bīngqílín

In Chinese culture, eating 冰淇淋 or other cold foods during menstruation or after a bath is often avoided due to traditional beliefs about body balance.
The phonetic part of 冰淇淋 (qílín) sounds identical to the word for the mythical 'qilin' creature, though the characters used are different.
The term 冰淇淋 is a partial calque of the English 'ice cream' that entered the language via a southern Chinese variety.

热得想吃冰淇淋。
The heat is making me crave for an ice cream.
This sentence shows how to express a craving for 冰淇淋 due to the heat.
Tatoeba #2442200 by ydcok, translation #2442242 by FeuDRenais2
給我留點冰淇淋。
Leave me a bit of ice cream.
This sentence is useful for asking someone to leave some 冰淇淋 for you.
Tatoeba #3786751 by egg0073, translation #1663260 by liwan1208
我不會吃冰淇淋。
I will not eat ice cream.
This sentence shows the use of 冰淇淋 in a simple negative statement about eating it.
Tatoeba #6169145 by verdastelo9604, translation #1132445 by Scott
我要两个冰淇淋 (wǒ yào liǎng gè bīng qí lín)
I want two ice creams
这个有什么口味？ (zhè gè yǒu shénme kǒu wèi)
What flavors do you have?
24 more sentences on Tatoeba

Wei and Jiayi are walking in a shopping mall.

伟 Wei

佳怡，妳想吃冰淇淋嗎？
Jiāyí, nǐ xiǎng chī bīngqílín ma?
Jiayi, do you want to eat ice cream?
佳怡 Jiayi

好啊，我想吃巧克力味的。
Hǎo a, wǒ xiǎng chī qiǎokèlì wèi de.
Sure, I want to eat chocolate flavor.
伟 Wei

那我們去那家店買吧。
Nà wǒmen qù nà jiā diàn mǎi ba.
Then let's go to that shop to buy some.
佳怡 Jiayi

太棒了，謝謝哥哥。
Tài bàng le, xièxiè gēge.
Great, thank you (older brother/Wei).

Sources

⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏