In case you have a sore throat or just don’t like to drink cold water in winter (and most convenience stores/restaurants still store drinks in the fridge), try asking for 常温 chángwēn water!
常 cháng – regular, normal
温 wēn – warm
常温 chángwēn – room temperature
That’s the trick I overheard a Chinese girl using once – and it worked great since! She asked:
有常温的矿泉水吗?
Yǒu chángwēn de kuàngquánshuǐ ma?
And the cashier brought her a bottle from the back
Leaving the translation part for you, what did the girl ask?
@richard_edmunds Sorry for a veeery late reply, Richard
You meant to say “What’s 常温?”, or “Which one is room temperature”?
@cyuwono Omg! Now we know it might not work in Guangzhou
Did you explain? Or they just don’t drink warm water?
@yourmandarin – i was wondering if my sentence is correct if i was to ask “what is the temperature of the room?”
thesinophileprincess
Room temperature mineral water, or bottled spring water