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能饮一杯无

能飲一杯無
néng yǐn yī bēi wú
quotation

Meanings

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

Examples

HSK 7-9
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.
HSK 7-9
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