根汁汽水
gēnzhī qìshuǐ
The English phrase "root beer" can be translated into Chinese as 根汁汽水 (gēnzhī qìshuǐ). If unsure, use 根汁汽水. Wiktionary also lists 根啤 (gēnpí) and 沙士 (shāshì).
Meaning: beverage with sarsaparilla root (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 根汁汽水 | gēnzhī qìshuǐ |
| 根啤 | gēnpí |
| 沙士 | shāshì |
The term is used to describe a beverage made with sarsaparilla root.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 根汁汽水 is a literal translation where 根 (root) and 汁 (juice) mean "root juice", and 汽水 means "soda" or "carbonated water".
Which one should you use?
While 根汁汽水 is a literal translation of "root beer", 沙士 is a phonetic transliteration of "sarsaparilla" and is often used in commercial or brand-oriented contexts. The form 根啤 is also a way to refer to the drink.
How do you pronounce it?
gēnzhī qìshuǐ
Did you know?
- The word 沙士 can sometimes be confused with the acronym for 'Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome' if the context of beverages is not clear.
- The term 沙士 is a phonetic transliteration specifically borrowed via the Cantonese language rather than Mandarin.
- While 根啤 means 'root beer', the word 啤 is a shortened form of 啤酒 ('beer'), even though the drink contains no alcohol.
Examples in context
- 麥根沙士被視為一種經典的美式碳酸飲品。Root beer is considered a classic American carbonated soft drink.This sentence is useful for seeing how 沙士 is used to refer to a classic American carbonated soft drink.Tatoeba #1531627 by cc_neko, translation #1101266 by CK
- 這杯根汁汽水好喝嗎？Zhè bēi gēnzhi qìshuǐ hǎohē ma?Is this root beer good?
- 我想要點一杯根汁汽水。Wǒ xiǎng yào diǎn yì bēi gēnzhi qìshuǐ.I want to order a root beer.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a drink menu at a restaurant.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你想要喝什麼？Nǐ xiǎng yào hē shénme?What would you like to drink?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我想試試根汁汽水。Wǒ xiǎng shìshì gēnzhī qìshuǐ.I want to try the root beer.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我也點一杯一樣的。Wǒ yě diǎn yì bēi yíyàng de.I'll order one of the same.
- 志强 Zhiqiang太好了，志强。Tài hǎo le, Zhìqiáng.Great, Zhiqiang.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “root beer” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 沙士, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
