Definitions

(noun) coffee

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "咖" was created comparatively late in Chinese linguistic history, serving primarily as a phonetic borrowing agent to transcribe sounds from foreign languages, with its structural composition deliberately pairing the mouth radical "口" to imply a connection to spoken or sounded terms and the component "加" to approximate the necessary pronunciation. Its existence is almost entirely dependent on forming disyllabic words such as "咖啡" for coffee and "咖喱" for curry, meaning it carries no standalone semantic weight and its functional evolution is inextricably linked to the introduction and cultural adoption of these external concepts. This specialized role has remained consistent, with the character's application confined to a narrow transliterative scope without acquiring broader or divergent meanings over the centuries.

Example Sentences Hide

我喜欢喝啡。

Wǒ xǐhuān hē kāfēi.

I like to drink coffee.

啡的味道很香。

Kāfēi de wèidào hěn xiāng.

The smell of coffee is very fragrant.

喱饭很好吃。

Gālí fàn hěn hǎochī.

Curry rice is delicious.

我买了啡和喱。

Wǒ mǎi le kāfēi hé gālí.

I bought coffee and curry.

他的位在上升。

Tā de kā wèi zài shàngshēng.

His celebrity status is rising.

早上喝啡可以提神。

Zǎoshang hē kāfēi kěyǐ tíshén.

Drinking coffee in the morning can refresh you.

这种啡豆来自巴西。

Zhè zhǒng kāfēi dòu láizì Bāxī.

This kind of coffee bean comes from Brazil.

如果你不喜欢喱,可以试试别的。

Rúguǒ nǐ bù xǐhuān gālí, kěyǐ shìshì biéde.

If you don't like curry, you can try something else.