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能饮一杯无

能飲一杯無
néngyǐnyībēiwú
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 can you drink a cup with me, or not?
  2. 2 (fig.) the warmest, most casual classical invitation to share a drink
  3. 3 (lit.) can drink one cup, or not?

Examples

老朋友难得相聚，一句能饮一杯无格外亲切。
Lǎo péngyǒu nándé xiāngjù, yī jù néng yǐn yī bēi wú géwài qīnqiè.
When old friends rarely meet, the line 'can you drink a cup?' sounds especially warm.
雪夜围炉，主人一句能饮一杯无，满屋生香。
Xuě yè wéilú, zhǔrén yī jù néng yǐn yī bēi wú, mǎn wū shēng xiāng.
Around the stove on a snowy night, the host says 'can you drink a cup?' — and the whole room warms.

Tips

history
Closing line of 白居易《问刘十九》(Bai Juyi, Tang, c. 817): 绿蚁新醅酒，红泥小火炉。晚来天欲雪，能饮一杯无？ (New unfiltered wine, green-tinged foam; a small red-clay stove. Evening comes, the sky wants to snow — can you drink a cup with me?). Twenty characters. Addressed to a friend Liu Shijiu. A model of intimacy in Chinese classical verse.
usage
无 at sentence end is a classical yes/no question marker (= 吗/否). Literally 'can drink a cup no?' Inseparable from the preceding 晚来天欲雪. A favorite quote at winter dinner parties and in WeChat stickers — the most welcoming line in Tang poetry.

Stroke Order

能 néng
饮 yǐn
一 yī
杯 bēi
无 wú