What are paper containers called?

In everyday life, we actually have many common names for various paper containers. Depending on their shape, purpose, and thickness, the names people use vary.

Here are some of the most common terms:

1. Boxes

These are the most common paper containers.
Cardboard box: Usually refers to larger, thicker packaging, such as those used for moving or the brown outer packaging for deliveries.
Paper box: Generally refers to smaller, thinner packaging. For example, toothpaste boxes, gift boxes for snacks, or milk cartons.

2. Bags & Sacks

When we go shopping or buy breakfast, the most common paper containers we encounter are bags.
Shopping bag: The paper bags with handles found in shopping malls.
Paper bag: Usually refers to small bags without handles, such as the thin paper bags used for roasted chestnuts, hamburgers, or bread.

3. Cups & Bowls

In the catering industry, these paper containers have very specific names:
Paper cup: The kind used for coffee or soda, some even come with a paper sleeve to prevent burns.
Paper food container: This type of container is frequently used for takeout food, such as round paper bowls or rectangular paper fast-food containers.

4. Tubes & Canisters

Some special items require specific shapes of paper containers for storage:
Paper tube: Like the hard core in the middle of a roll of toilet paper.
Paper canister: The kind with a lid, usually used to hold tea, potato chips, or posters.

5. Corrugated Containers

This is a slightly more technical but also commonly used term. When we refer to thickened paper containers with corrugated surfaces and internal gaps, people directly call them "corrugated cardboard boxes" because they are stronger and can bear more weight than ordinary paper.

6. Trays

These paper containers usually do not have lids and are open.
Egg tray: The paper base with grooves used to hold eggs in supermarkets. Cup holder: The base that the store employee uses to hold the cups in place when you buy several cups of milk tea.