Hey what’s up, welcome back to Jack Bao’s 24 Authentic Chinese. As you may know already, I live in Tianjin, China, beautiful city. Recently spring is coming. We have high in 20 degrees, sunny and warm. Just beautiful. Probably the best season although some people may argue for the summer. As the temperature getting higher, one of my favorite things to do is to drink a cold coke. Today, let’s talk about coffee, tea and some other drinks.
In the last episode, I was sending a package. Now that the delivery guy, 快递小哥, has left, I was on the way back to my desk. I felt thirsty, so I decided to stop by the break room in my company.
The break room is called 茶水间 (chá shuǐ jiān). 茶水间 is the best place in my company. Unlike the large firms such as Google, Facebook, or China’s Tencent, Alibaba, where their break rooms are huge and have everything, food, snacks, drinks, anything you can think of, ours is a small one. But not bad too. It has all kinds of beverages.
Beverages are 饮料 (yǐn liào). We have cold drinks and hot drinks. Cold drinks are 冷饮 (lěng yǐn), and hot drinks are 热饮 (rè yǐn). Yes, you’re correct, 冷 means cold and 热 means hot.
I’m a very fine man when it comes to drinking and I’ll choose my drinks wisely. For instance, when I have steak I’d like to pair it with some big and bold red wines. You want to have it strong right? Depending on the preparation, spices and of course, your mood. Nice. Oh wait, I’m still at work? You’re talking about the beverage drinks? Sure, I still master them. For example, when I feel a little under the weather, I’d like to have something with rich sugar, make it sweet. Always a good choice, so Coke, Sprite, and Fanta. Coke is 可乐 (kě lè), Sprite is 雪碧 (xuě bì). Fanta is 芬达 (fēn dá). They are all originated from their English names. Sounds the same!
Hey I don’t know about you. For me, one Coke just makes me happy! The carbon dioxide mixing with the oxygen in the air hitting your throat and then pressing your stomach, getting out eventually with a hiccup. Very nice! Like a volcanic eruption, getting the stress out! Especially good with some deep fried food. Yes, getting myself fried chicken with Coke tonight!
When I feel sleepy, I’d like to drink some tea. Tea is 茶 (chá). When it’s warm, I will choose the green tea, 绿茶 (lǜ chá). When it’s code, I will get the black tea, 红茶 (hóng chá). A quick reminder here. 绿茶 where 绿 means the green, so 绿茶 is the green tea. But 红茶, 红 is actually red, it’s not black. But we call 红茶 as the black team. In China, tea is consumed much largely than any other drinks.
If I’m still sleepy, sometimes I will drink coffee. I’m not much of a coffee guy, because the caffeine keeps me awake at night. Coffee is 咖啡 (kā fēi). Again, another word which comes from English. If I’m super tired but have to keep up with the work, I’ll take the red bull. Everyone knows that drink, red bull is 红牛 (hóng niú). Word to word translation. Red is 红, and bull is 牛. I heard a way to mix the red bull with cold coffee, but I never tried that. If you did, let me know how was it...
One day, I was seeing an old Chinese doctor who is specialized at traditional Chinese medicine. He just took a look at me, and said: Are you always feeling exhausted these days? I was like, yea, how did you know?! Chinese medicine is magic, you know that by just one quick look? What’s wrong with me? What should I do? He then said, well you should definitely stop drinking all those beverages, red bull, coffee, tea, even Coke and Sprite. Why? I asked. Look, you were holding a red bull now, and you are obviously not rich. So stop drinking those drinks you can’t afford, water is the best for you. And you will start feeling better... err, what a wise doctor?!
Now review:
The break room is 茶水间 (chá shuǐ jiān). Beverages are 饮料 (yǐn liào). Cold drinks are 冷饮 (lěng yǐn). Hot drinks are 热饮 (rè yǐn). Coke is 可乐 (kě lè). Sprite is 雪碧 (xuě bì). Fanta is 芬达 (fēn dá). Tea is 茶 (chá). Green tea is 绿茶(continued)
