婚宴
hūnyàn
The English phrase wedding reception is 婚宴 (hūnyàn) in Mandarin.
婚宴 is used to refer to a wedding reception. In Chinese culture, the term specifically implies a formal banquet or meal, which is the standard way a wedding reception is conducted.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 婚宴 is a compound of 婚, meaning marriage and 宴, meaning banquet or feast.
How do you pronounce it?
hūnyàn
When do people say it?
In Chinese culture, the reception for a wedding is traditionally centered around a formal banquet or meal.
Did you know?
- The color scheme of a traditional 婚宴 is dominated by red, which symbolizes luck and joy. In contrast to Western traditions, white is traditionally associated with mourning and is avoided in the decor of a wedding feast.
- In many regions, the menu for a 婚宴 is carefully selected to include specific lucky dishes, such as fish, because the word for fish sounds like 'surplus'.
- While 婚宴 means the banquet, the act of attending one often involves giving a 红包 or 'red envelope' containing money. The amount given is often calculated based on the cost of the meal and the guest's relationship to the couple.
Examples in context
- 他们昨晚的婚宴非常热闹。tā men zuó wǎn de hūn yàn fēi cháng rè nao.Their wedding reception last night was very lively.
- 你参加了张先生的婚宴吗？nǐ cān jiā le zhāng xiān sheng de hūn yàn ma?Did you attend Mr. Zhang's wedding reception?
