喝

hē v.

To open the mouth and take liquid into the body. To drink water, tea, alcohol, soup, or other liquids.

Common Usage & Traps

  • 喝水 (hē shuǐ) — drink water
  • 喝茶 (hē chá) — drink tea
  • 喝一杯茶 (hē yì bēi chá) — drink a cup of tea
  • 喝热水 (hē rè shuǐ) — drink hot water
  • 喝饭 吃饭

    饭 is solid food; you eat it, not drink it.

  • 吃水 喝水

    水 is a liquid; 吃 is for solids you chew.

  • 喝苹果 吃苹果

    苹果 is solid fruit; it pairs with 吃.

Why is it 喝水 but 吃饭, and can you ever swap 喝 and 吃?

Chinese splits drinking and eating by liquid vs solid: 喝水, 吃饭.

Use 喝 for liquids you swallow: 喝水, 喝茶, 喝热水. Use 吃 for solids you chew: 吃饭, 吃苹果. Swapping them sounds broken, like 喝饭 or 吃水. If you remember the liquid-solid split, most beginner mistakes disappear.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Liquids喝水 / 喝茶吃水 / 吃茶
Solids吃饭 / 吃苹果喝饭 / 喝苹果
Hot drinks喝热水吃热水

Why does 我在喝 sound wrong when someone asks 你在喝什么?

Because 什么 asks for the drink; answer 我在喝茶, not just 我在喝.

When someone asks 你在喝什么, the missing piece is exactly what they want. A bare 我在喝 leaves the answer blank. Say 我在喝茶 or 我在喝水. But if someone asks 你在喝茶吗, then 我在喝 is fine because the drink is already known.

“我坐在桌前,
在喝一杯茶,
一杯热热的茶。” (I'm sitting at my desk, drinking a cup of tea — a nice hot cup of tea.)
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Question 你喝什么?我喝茶。我喝。
Question 你在干什么?我在喝茶。我在喝。

Appears in Stories 8 stories

Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.

《米老师的一天》 (A Doctor's Daily Routine) HSK 1
~3 min read 216 chars
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Meet Dr. Mi, a doctor and teacher at Sichuan University. This simple HSK 1 story shows his daily routine from morning to night, helping you learn time expressions and everyday activities.

  • 他喜欢 喝 茶,也喜欢 喝 咖啡。

  • 吃了晚饭后,他会 喝 一杯普洱茶。

《饥饿的深意》 (The Hidden Meaning of Hunger) HSK 7
~11 min read 1243 chars
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Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.

  • 服务员过来要撤,他说,放着吧,等会儿还 喝 。

  • 他没接话,端起茶杯 喝 了一口。

《这还是茶馆儿吗?》 (Teahouse or Cinema?) HSK 3
~3 min read 325 chars
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Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.

  • 前天有个朋友告诉我,要想了解老北京的文化,应该去老茶馆 喝 一次"大碗儿茶"。

  • 他说,现在喜欢去茶馆 喝 茶的老北京不很多了。

《一家人》 (Our Family Day) HSK 1
~1 min read 47 chars
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This simple story introduces you to a family and what each member likes to do. Learn helpful words for food and daily activities as you read about Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, and the kids.

  • 爷爷吃面包,奶奶 喝 牛奶。

  • 爸爸 喝 热茶妈妈吃冷菜。

《你也在想我吗》 (Do You Miss Me Too?) HSK 1
~2 min read 128 chars
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This short, soothing piece is about missing someone on a rainy night. The sentences are simple and repeat often, so you can practice reading while feeling the warm emotion.

  • 我坐在桌前,在 喝 一杯茶,一杯热热的茶。

  • 你有热茶 喝 吗?

《七号桌的客人》 (The Guest at Table Seven) HSK 1
~5 min read 396 chars
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This heartwarming story reveals the quiet devotion of a father. As you read, notice the repeated actions and how a simple cup of tea becomes meaningful.

  • 老先生不 喝 茶,也不吃东西。

  • 大中想:“老先生天天来,茶不热了也不 喝 ,他天天在看什么呢?”

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