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盛会 (shèng huì) — grand event; grand gathering

Definition

盛会 means 'grand event / grand gathering' — a large-scale, celebratory occasion (sports, cultural, book fair). Its sibling 盛宴 shares the 盛- prefix but means a 'feast' (a lavish meal, literal or metaphorical).

noun
grand eventgrand gathering
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 盛会。
    Zhè cì tǐ yù shèng huì xī yǐn le quán shì jiè de mù guāng.
    This sports grand event attracted worldwide attention.
  • 盛会。
    Zhè chǎng wén huà shèng huì zhǎn shì le chuán tǒng yì shù de mèi lì.
    This cultural pageant showcased the charm of traditional arts.
  • 盛会。
    Měi nián yí dù de tú shū shèng huì shì ài shū rén de jié rì.
    The annual book fair is a festival for book lovers.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

盛shènggrand
会huìgathering

盛 “grand” and 会 “gathering” describe a grand event.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
皿皿mǐn
Sound part声符shēngfú
成
成chéng盛shèng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盛 combines 成 as a sound part with 皿 as a meaning part; the 皿 side points to a vessel, which fits meanings such as hold and fill.

Open 盛 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Society & Public Life

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.