‘喝奶’ is a compound verb meaning 'to drink milk'. It combines the verb 喝 (hē, 'to drink') and the noun 奶 (nǎi, 'milk'), forming a common action phrase used primarily in daily life. Unlike English, where 'drink milk' is two separate words, Chinese often fuses verb–object combinations like this into fixed expressions that function as single verbal units.

This phrase is frequently used to describe infants, young children, or even adults consuming milk for nutrition or comfort. It may appear in contexts such as feeding routines, health advice, or parenting discussions. While it literally refers to drinking cow’s or other animal milk, it can also be used metaphorically (e.g., in idioms about dependency), though such usage is rare and marked. The phrase is neutral in register and appropriate in both spoken and written Chinese.