冰啤酒 (bīng pí jiǔ) literally means 'ice beer' and refers to beer that has been chilled to a refreshing, cold temperature — typically served straight from the refrigerator or over ice. The character 冰 (bīng) means 'ice' or 'cold', 噪 (pí) is the phonetic component borrowed from 'pilsner' and used in loanwords for beer, and 酒 (jiǔ) means 'alcoholic beverage' or 'wine'. Together, they form a compound noun describing beer specifically served cold, not just any beer.

This term is commonly used in casual daily contexts — at restaurants, street-side stalls, summer gatherings, or convenience stores — especially during hot weather. Unlike 啤酒 (pí jiǔ), which simply means 'beer', 冰啤酒 emphasizes temperature and refreshment. It’s often ordered by saying '来一杯冰啤酒' ('Bring me a glass of chilled beer') and is rarely used in formal or written contexts like menus or labels, where 啤酒 or 冷啤酒 may appear instead.