How to Say ‘A drink’ in Japanese
一杯
itsu pai
[ichi pie]
💬 Usage Tip: 杯 counts cups and glasses, and its sound shifts with the number: 一杯 (ippai), 二杯 (nihai), 三杯 (sanbai). On its own, 一杯 (ippai) can also mean "full" or "a lot".
Phrase Breakdown
一
itsu
[ichi]
one
The number one. With counters, pronunciation may change depending on the counter.
一杯お願いします。
One cup, please.
杯
pai
[pie]
cup; glass; counter for drinks
杯 counts cups or glasses of drinks. 一杯 means one cup/glass.
ビールを一杯ください。
One beer, please.
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