冰沙
bīngshā
The English phrase "smoothie" can be translated into Chinese using several terms, most commonly 冰沙 (bīngshā). Wiktionary also lists 水果奶昔 (shuǐguǒ nǎixī) and 果昔 (guǒxī).
Meaning: drink (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 冰沙 | bīngshā |
| 水果奶昔 | shuǐguǒ nǎixī |
| 果昔 | guǒxī |
| 沙冰 | shābīng |
果昔 is a modern term used specifically for fruit-based smoothies, often found in cafes or health-conscious settings. 冰沙 and 沙冰 are general terms for icy blended drinks.
What does it mean word for word?
The default form 冰沙 is composed of 冰 meaning "ice" and 沙 meaning "sand" or "granules".
Which one should you use?
There are distinct differences between these terms: 果昔 is a modern and specific term for fruit smoothies, while 冰沙 is a broader term that can refer to both fruit smoothies and icy slushies. If the drink contains milk or dairy, it is specifically called a milkshake using 奶昔, whereas 冰沙 refers more generally to any icy blended drink. 沙冰 is a common alternative to 冰沙 for describing blended ice drinks.
How do you pronounce it?
bīngshā
Did you know?
- The character 昔 in 果昔 normally means 'the past' or 'former times', but here it is used purely for its sound to imitate the English word 'smoothie'.
- The term 奶昔 is a phonetic loanword, where the sounds roughly mimic the English word 'milkshake'.
- In Taiwan, you might see 冰沙 listed on menus alongside 刨冰, which are shaved ice desserts that are eaten with a spoon rather than sipped through a straw.
Examples in context
- 草莓香蕉奶昔Strawberry banana smoothie
- 芒果绿茶冰沙Mango green tea smoothie
- 我想喝一杯草莓冰沙。Wǒ xiǎng hē yì bēi cǎoméi bīngshā.I want to drink a strawberry smoothie.
- 这杯芒果冰沙很甜。Zhè bēi mángguǒ bīngshā hěn tián.This mango smoothie is very sweet.
- 你喜欢喝这种冰沙吗？Nǐ xǐhuān hē zhè zhǒng bīngshā ma?Do you like drinking this kind of smoothie?
Example conversation
Xiao Wen and Jun Jie are at a cafe.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen俊杰，你想喝什么？Jùnjié, nǐ xiǎng hē shénme?Jun Jie, what do you want to drink?
- 俊杰 Junjie我想点一杯冰沙。Wǒ xiǎng diǎn yì bēi bīngshā.I want to order a smoothie.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你要什么口味的？Nǐ yào shénme kǒuwèi de?What flavor do you want?
- 俊杰 Junjie给我一杯菠萝冰沙吧。Gěi wǒ yì bēi bōluó bīngshā ba.Give me a pineapple smoothie, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smoothie” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
