宴请 (yàn qǐng) — to host a banquet for; to entertain with a feast

Definition

A formal verb meaning to host a banquet for someone — usually for business, diplomatic, or important guests. Distinct from 请客 (casual 'treat someone to a meal') and 招待 (broader 'receive/host').

verb
to host a banquet forto entertain with a feast

Examples

  • 宴请。
    Gōng sī yàn qǐng le suǒ yǒu yuán gōng qìng zhù xīn nián.
    The company hosted a banquet for all employees to celebrate the New Year.
  • 宴请。
    Jīn wǎn wǒ men yào yàn qǐng jǐ wèi zhòng yào kè hù.
    Tonight we are hosting a banquet for several important clients.
  • 宴请。
    Tā tè yì zài wǔ xīng jí jiǔ diàn yàn qǐng wǒ men.
    He specially hosted a banquet for us at a five-star hotel.

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.

宴yànbanquet
请qǐnginvite

The inviting (请) is done with a banquet (宴).

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
妟
妟yàn宴
Same sound today

宴 has 宀, a roof, above 妟, which shows a woman and the sun. 妟 also supplies the sound, and the whole shape pictures a woman under a roof with sunlight.

Open 宴 →

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 請; 请 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng請qǐng
Same sound today

In the traditional form 請, 言 shows it relates to speaking, and 青 gives the sound; the simplified 请 is a later shorter form.

Open 请 →

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