筵

yán

延 + 竹

Definitions

yán bamboo mat for sitting

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 延 represents the sound.

Semantic: ⺮ Phonetic: 延

About

筵 is a phono-semantic compound: the upper bamboo radical ⺮ points to bamboo as the material, while the lower component 延 provides the pronunciation and also means 'to extend', reflecting how such mats were spread out. Historically, 筵 referred to a woven bamboo mat placed on the floor or ground for people to sit on during formal occasions. Because food and drink were served to guests seated on these mats, the meaning shifted metonymically to denote a formal banquet, grand feast, or lavish dinner party.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他们准备了丰盛的筵席。

Tāmen zhǔnbèi le fēngshèng de yánxí.

They prepared a sumptuous banquet.

酒店里正在举办一场喜筵。

Jiǔdiàn lǐ zhèngzài jǔbàn yī chǎng xǐyán.

A wedding banquet is being held at the hotel.

爷爷的寿筵有很多客人参加。

Yéye de shòuyán yǒu hěnduō kèrén cānjiā.

Many guests attended grandfather's birthday banquet.

公司为员工举办了年终筵宴。

Gōngsī wèi yuángōng jǔbàn le niánzhōng yányàn.

The company held a year-end banquet for the employees.

如果下雨，筵席就会移到室内。

Rúguǒ xià yǔ, yánxí jiù huì yí dào shìnèi.

If it rains, the banquet will be moved indoors.

这场盛大的筵席被媒体广泛报道。

Zhè chǎng shèngdà de yánxí bèi méitǐ guǎngfàn bàodào.

This grand banquet was widely reported by the media.

她回忆起童年时参加过的家族筵席。

Tā huíyì qǐ tóngnián shí cānjiā guò de jiāzú yánxí.

She recalled the family banquets she attended in her childhood.

尽管预算有限，他们还是精心筹划了这场开幕筵席。

Jǐnguǎn yùsuàn yǒuxiàn, tāmen háishì jīngxīn chóuhuà le zhè chǎng kāimù yánxí.

Despite the limited budget, they still meticulously planned this opening banquet.

Related Characters

Component: 延

Component: 竹

筵