gaa3 fe1 zing1咖啡精
Jyutpinggaa3 fe1 zing1
Yalega fē jīng
Definition
Instant coffee or coffee essence.
colloquialdrinkfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to instant coffee powder or granules rather than freshly brewed coffee. While it literally translates to coffee essence, it is the standard term for the convenience product found in most local households. It is rarely used to describe concentrated liquid coffee extract unless specifically referring to industrial food additives.
Measure word
zeon1樽jēunExamples
We are out of instant coffee at home, need to buy some tomorrow.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 咖啡豆, which refers to whole coffee beans. Using 咖啡精 to describe a cup of coffee served at a cafe will sound unnatural, as it specifically denotes the instant variety.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
