n.
milk; cow's milk
牛奶
milk; cow's milk
Cow's milk. A daily breakfast staple, often enjoyed warm alongside steamed buns or eggs.
Common Usage & Traps
- 喝牛奶 — drink milk
- 买牛奶 — buy milk
- 一杯牛奶 — a glass of milk
- 一盒牛奶 — a carton of milk
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吃牛奶喝牛奶Milk is a drink, so Chinese uses 喝. 吃 is for solid food you chew.
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一个牛奶一杯牛奶 / 一盒牛奶Chinese counts liquids by the container, not with the default measure word 个.
Can you say 吃牛奶 to mean drink milk?
No. Milk takes 喝, not 吃; 吃 is for solid food you chew.
Chinese splits eating and drinking very cleanly. If it flows, use 喝 for water, tea, coffee, and milk. If you chew it, use 吃 for rice, noodles, bread, and meat. Saying 吃牛奶 makes native ears picture you chewing a lump of milk.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking milk | 喝牛奶 | 吃牛奶 |
| Eating bread | 吃面包 | 喝面包 |
Can you say 一个牛奶 for one milk?
No. 牛奶 needs a container word like 杯 or 盒, not 个.
Chinese counts liquids by the container, not by a bare 个. A glass is 一杯牛奶, a carton is 一盒牛奶, and a bottle is 一瓶牛奶. English lets you order a milk, but Chinese wants the physical holder in the phrase. 一个牛奶 sounds like a floating blob of milk.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| A glass of milk | 一杯牛奶 | 一个牛奶 |
| A carton of milk | 一盒牛奶 | 一个牛奶 |
| A bottle of milk | 一瓶牛奶 | 一个牛奶 |
Appears in Stories 4 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Before you read, think about names: a train is called 'fire vehicle' in Chinese, but there's no fire! This simple rhyme will help you laugh while reviewing everyday words.
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米饭不是米，鸡蛋不是蛋， 牛奶 不是奶。
This is a short dialogue about a shopping trip. A woman buys many things, including food, drinks, furniture, and pet food, while her boyfriend reminds her not to overspend.
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我买了鸡蛋、面包、 牛奶 ，还有一些水果，这些都是你和我的吃的和喝的东西，还有给我们的小猫和小狗吃的东西。
Follow a traveler's unexpected hospital stay in China, where counting days and costs becomes practical learning. Practice numbers, dates, food prices, and simple descriptions of a doctor and room.
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面包一块二， 牛奶 四块三。
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.
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爷爷吃面包，奶奶喝 牛奶 。
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