Definition
To drink (a liquid). Used for any beverage, from water to tea to soup.
Example
你想喝什么？我有茶和水。
Show translation
What do you want to drink? I have tea and water.
Etymology
The character 喝 combines the mouth radical 口 (kǒu, "mouth") on the left with the phonetic component 曷 (hé) on the right, which hints at its pronunciation. The mouth radical signals that the action involves the mouth — a common pattern for verbs related to eating, speaking, and drinking.
Cultural note
Tea (茶, chá) is deeply embedded in Chinese culture, so 喝 is one of the most socially loaded verbs in daily life. Offering someone something to drink — 你喝点什么吧？— is a standard gesture of hospitality in both homes and business settings. Note that in Chinese, 喝汤 (hē tāng) means "to drink soup," even though English speakers would say "eat soup."