Ordering a coffee (Advanced): The style of coffee, such as espresso, latte, cappuccino, Americano, mocha, etc.

💬 在哪儿 literally means "is where", so the question is "where does the difference lie?" To ask about any two things, put them in front: A和B区别在哪儿？.

💬 更 (gèng) before an adjective means "more", with no 是 needed. Swap in another adjective: 更甜 "sweeter", 更苦 "more bitter".

💬 口感 means how something feels in the mouth: its texture and body rather than its flavor. It's a very common word for describing coffee, tea and food.

💬 The ordering pattern is 我要 + number + 杯 + drink, where 杯 (bēi) counts cups. You can say 我要两杯拿铁 "I'll have two lattes". Note that 一 before 杯 is read (yì).

💬 吧 at the end makes the choice sound relaxed, like "I'll go with...", and 那 at the start means "in that case". Together they make a natural way to settle a decision.

💬 换成 (huàn chéng) means "swap it into". Put whatever you want instead after it, for example 换成大杯 "make it a large".

💬 Tack 可以吗？ onto the end of any suggestion to turn it into a polite request: 刷卡可以吗？ "Can I pay by card?"

🇨🇳 Opening with 麻烦 "sorry to trouble you" is the easy, polite way to ask staff for a change. It sounds courteous without being stiff.

🇨🇳 Oat milk is widely available at Chinese chain coffee shops, and many offer it for a small surcharge.

💬 完 after a verb means it's used up or finished: 卖完 is "sold out" and 喝完 is "drunk up". 刚好 adds "as it happens".

💬 全脂 literally means "full fat". 奶 (nǎi) "milk" is often dropped when the context is obvious, but the full word is 全脂奶.

💬 脱脂 literally means "fat removed", the opposite of 全脂. The full word is 脱脂奶.

🇨🇳 A soft acknowledgement when hearing news, often slightly disappointing, like "oh, okay". It buys you a moment before you decide what to do.

💬 干脆 (gān cuì) is used when you give up on fiddling with options and make a simple choice instead, like "oh, I'll just...". It usually follows 那 "then".

💬 来 here means "bring me", and 一 is often dropped in casual speech, so 来杯 means "a cup of". 美式 "American style" is short for 美式咖啡 "Americano".

💬 加 means "add", so 不加 + item tells the barista to leave something out. For example, 不加糖 "no sugar". Remember 不 is read (bù) here because 加 isn't a falling tone.

🇨🇳 In Chinese chain cafés, 中杯 is usually the smallest size on the menu, much like Starbucks' "Tall". Don't expect a smaller 小杯 to exist.

💬 Size word + 杯 makes the cup size: 中杯, 大杯, 超大杯. The same pattern works for other containers, like 大碗 "large bowl".

💬 还是 between two choices makes an either-or question, so you don't need 吗. For example, 热的还是冰的？ "hot or iced?"

🇨🇳 Specialty shops in China often push light roasts with fruity notes, and many locals find them surprisingly sour. Asking about this is normal.

🇨🇳 Cup sizes follow the Starbucks-style trio: 中杯 "medium", 大杯 "large" and 超大杯 "extra large". Here "medium" is often the smallest size on offer.

💬 太 + adjective means "too...". Often 了 comes at the end of the sentence: 太烫了 "too hot".

💬 会不会 "will or won't" turns a statement into a yes/no question without 吗. For example, 会不会太甜？ "Will it be too sweet?". The 的 makes 浅烘的 "the light-roast one".

💬 挺 (tǐng) + adjective + 的 is a casual way to say "quite". For example, 挺好喝的 "quite tasty".

💬 要是 means "if" and comes after the subject here. The second half usually starts with 就 "then". 怕 literally means "fear", but it often just means "don't do well with".

🇨🇳 Using 您, the polite "you", is standard when staff speak to customers.

🇨🇳 Paying by scanning a QR code with WeChat Pay or Alipay is the default almost everywhere in China, and cash is rare. Foreigners can now link overseas cards to these apps.

💬 Ending a sentence with 就行 means "that's all it takes". Put any action before it: 给我就行 "just give it to me".

💬 Prices often drop 块 "yuan", so 二十八 (èr shí bā) alone means 28 yuan.

🇨🇳 Staff say this politely while your drink is being made. You'll then wait for your number or name to be called, or for a notice on your phone.

💬 好 after a verb means the action is finished, so 做好 is "done making". The same pattern works with other verbs, like 写好了 "finished writing".