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款待 (kuǎn dài) — to entertain, to treat with hospitality

Definition

款待 means 'to entertain / treat with hospitality,' emphasizing generous hosting (food, drink, service) for guests. It is more formal and lavish than 招待 and narrower than 娱乐 (general amusement).

verb
to entertainto treat with hospitality

Examples

  • 款待。
    Zhǔ rén yòng fēng shèng de wǎn cān kuǎn dài yuǎn dào ér lái de péng you.
    The host treated the friend who had come from afar to a lavish dinner.
  • 款待。
    Zhè jiā jiǔ diàn yǐ zhōu dào de fú wù kuǎn dài měi yí wèi kè rén.
    This hotel treats every guest with thoughtful service.
  • 款待，。
    Wǒ men shòu dào dāng dì rén de rè qíng kuǎn dài, fēi cháng gǎn dòng.
    We were warmly treated by the locals and were very moved.

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.

款kuǎnsincere
待dàitreat

“款” sincere and “待” treat combine to mean to entertain hospitably.

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
欠欠qiànlacking, desire
Sound part声符shēngfú
柰
柰nài款kuǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

款 pairs 柰, a sound hint, with 欠, a part about lacking or desire.

Open 款 →

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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì待dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

待 is built from 彳 on the left and 寺 on the right; 彳 is tied to the meaning, and 寺 gives the sound.

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

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