I enjoyed sake in a cup larger than an ochoko.
counter for cupfuls, bowlfuls, spoonfuls
Used for servings of food or drink measured by a container. Often used with ご飯, スープ, etc.
Please give me a bowl of rice.
I had two more servings of soup.
Rare counter for small boats, especially traditional Japanese boats. Modern usage is limited.
Three small boats were moored at the fishing port.
counter for octopuses and squid
Specialized counter used in fishing and culinary contexts for whole octopus or squid.
I bought two live octopuses at the market.
Suffix used in sports tournament names, e.g., アジア杯 (Asian Cup).
See also: アジア杯
The soccer World Cup is also written as 'W杯'.
I drank a cup of coffee.
Today I caught five squid.
I ate three bowls of rice.
Written identically, 杯 read はい is the everyday counter/word covering cups, servings, and even championships, whereas 杯 read さかずき refers specifically to the ceremonial or literary sake cup itself.
one cup; one glass; one bowl; one spoonful · one drink (of alcohol) · full; filled; brimming; crowded; packed · fully; to capacity; as much as possible · a lot; much; many · all of ...; the entire ... · one (squid, octopus, crab, etc.) · one (boat)
cheers!; bottoms up! · toast; drink in honor of · drinking one's glass dry
full; filled to capacity
toast; congratulatory drink
gold cup; gilded cup; goblet
Emperor's Cup; Emperor's trophy
farewell drink; farewell dinner
large cup; large sake cup
emperor's gift cup
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
Variant kanji for sake cup; less common in modern writing.
The kanji 杯 originally depicts a vessel for drinking. The reading はい is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi. The counter uses derive from the image of a cup or container.
wooden cup
sake cup rinsing bowl
glasses and plates; cups and dishes
cup of poisoned alcohol
toast to the deceased; memorial toast
jade cup
optic cup; ocular cup