‘饮料’ (yǐn liào) literally combines ‘饮’ (yǐn), meaning ‘to drink’, and ‘料’ (liào), meaning ‘substance’ or ‘ingredient’. Together, they refer to any liquid intended for human consumption—excluding plain water, which is usually called ‘水’ (shuǐ). Common types include soft drinks, juice, tea, coffee, milk, and sports drinks. It’s a neutral, everyday term used in supermarkets, restaurants, vending machines, and health contexts.

This word is countable and often appears with measure words like ‘瓶’ (bottle), ‘杯’ (cup), or ‘罐’ (can). While ‘饮料’ covers both healthy and unhealthy options, public health discussions sometimes distinguish ‘健康饮料’ (jiànkāng yǐnliào, healthy beverages) from ‘含糖饮料’ (hán táng yǐnliào, sugary drinks). It’s not used for alcoholic drinks in formal contexts—those are typically called ‘酒’ (jiǔ) or ‘酒精饮料’ (jiǔjīng yǐnliào).