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How do you order bubble tea in Taiwan, with sugar and ice levels?

Expect to hear 大杯中杯？ (dà bēi zhōng bēi, "Large or medium?"), 甜度冰塊呢？ (tiándù bīngkuài ne, "Sugar and ice?"), 冰塊正常嗎？ (bīngkuài zhèngcháng ma, "Normal ice?"). Useful things to say: 我要一杯珍珠奶茶。 (wǒ yào yì bēi zhēnzhū nǎichá, "One bubble milk tea, please") and 大杯。 (dà bēi, "Large").

The whole conversation: Ordering bubble tea

Every drink shop asks the same two questions: how sweet, and how much ice.

  1. You say
    我要一杯珍珠奶茶。 wǒ yào yì bēi zhēnzhū nǎichá One bubble milk tea, please.
  2. You hear
    大杯中杯？ dà bēi zhōng bēi Large or medium?
  3. You say
    大杯。 dà bēi Large.
  4. You hear
    甜度冰塊呢？ tiándù bīngkuài ne Sugar and ice?

    Sweetness runs 全糖 (full), 半糖 (half), 微糖 (a little) and 無糖 (none).

  5. You say
    半糖少冰。 bàn táng shǎo bīng Half sugar, less ice.
  6. You hear
    冰塊正常嗎？ bīngkuài zhèngcháng ma Normal ice?
  7. You say
    去冰。 qù bīng No ice.
  8. You hear
    要吸管嗎？ yào xīguǎn ma Do you need a straw?
  9. You hear
    稍等一下。 shāoděng yíxià Just a moment.
Is this what people really say here?

Questions about this scene

How do you order bubble tea in Taiwan, with sugar and ice levels?

Expect to hear 大杯中杯？ (dà bēi zhōng bēi, "Large or medium?"), 甜度冰塊呢？ (tiándù bīngkuài ne, "Sugar and ice?"), 冰塊正常嗎？ (bīngkuài zhèngcháng ma, "Normal ice?"). Useful things to say: 我要一杯珍珠奶茶。 (wǒ yào yì bēi zhēnzhū nǎichá, "One bubble milk tea, please") and 大杯。 (dà bēi, "Large").

What does "大杯中杯？" mean in Mandarin (Taiwan)?

It means "Large or medium?". It is pronounced dà bēi zhōng bēi. A natural reply is 大杯。 (dà bēi), "Large".

What does "甜度冰塊呢？" mean in Mandarin (Taiwan)?

It means "Sugar and ice?". It is pronounced tiándù bīngkuài ne. A natural reply is 半糖少冰。 (bàn táng shǎo bīng), "Half sugar, less ice".

What does "冰塊正常嗎？" mean in Mandarin (Taiwan)?

It means "Normal ice?". It is pronounced bīngkuài zhèngcháng ma. A natural reply is 去冰。 (qù bīng), "No ice".