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应酬 (yìng chou) — (verb) to socialize (often in a business or obligatory context); (noun) social engagement, dinner party (often business-related)

Definition

应酬 refers to obligatory socializing, usually business dinners you attend for work rather than pleasure. Unlike 交际 or 社交 (general socializing), it carries a sense of duty and fatigue; less formal than 宴会 (a banquet).

verb
to socialize (often in a business or obligatory context)
noun
social engagementdinner party (often business-related)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 应酬，。
    Tā jīn wǎn yǒu yìng chou, bù néng lái cān jiā jù huì le.
    He has a social engagement tonight, so he can't come to the party.
  • 应酬，。
    Zhōu mò yòu yào qù yìng chou, zhēn lèi.
    Have to go socialize again on the weekend, so tiring.
  • 应酬。
    Gōng sī měi nián nián dǐ dōu yǒu hěn duō yìng chou.
    The company has many social engagements at the end of each year.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

应yìngrespond
酬chóureturn courtesy

应 means respond and 酬 means return courtesy, giving the sense of social dealings.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
酉酉yǒuliquor vessel; liquor
Sound part声符shēngfú
州
州zhōu酬chóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 酉 part shows a liquor vessel, matching meanings about offering or drinking liquor. The 州 part gives the sound.

Open 酬 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Friends & Social

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