即席 (jí xí) — (adv.) impromptu, extemporaneously, off the cuff; (adv.) in the course of a banquet, at the banquet

Definition

即席 (jí xí) means 'on the spot / impromptu' — used as an adverb before verbs like 发言, 表演, 赋诗, often at banquets or formal occasions, not for casual speech.

adverb
(adv.) impromptuextemporaneouslyoff the cuff(adv.) in the course of a banquetat the banquet

Examples

  • 即席。
    Tā jí xí fā biǎo le yì piān jīng cǎi de yǎn jiǎng.
    He gave an impromptu wonderful speech.
  • 即席。
    Zhè ge wèn tí tā jí xí huí dá dé hěn liú lì.
    She answered this question extemporaneously and very fluently.
  • ，即席，。
    Yàn huì shàng, shī rén jí xí fù shī yì shǒu, yíng dé mǎn táng hè cǎi.
    At the banquet, the poet composed a poem impromptu and won applause from the whole room.

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.

即jíat/near
席xíseat/banquet

即 means at/near, and 席 means seat/banquet, giving the sense of acting on the spot.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 皀皀jíancient round-mouthed food vessel
  • 卩卩jiéto kneel

即 pairs 皀 (an ancient round-mouthed food vessel) with 卩 (to kneel), showing someone kneeling near the vessel to eat, so it means to come near or approach.

Open 即 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

席 originally showed a woven mat with an ornament. In 席, the mat became 巾, and a later sound part was written as 庶.

Open 席 →

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