jùcān: 聚餐 - Get-together Meal, Dining Together, Party

• Keywords: 聚餐, jùcān, Chinese get-together, Chinese dinner party, dining together in China, company dinner China, family meal China, eating together Chinese, have a meal together, team meal
• Summary: Discover the cultural significance of 聚餐 (jùcān), the common Chinese practice of getting together for a meal. More than just “eating out,” a `jùcān` is a fundamental social event for building relationships with family, strengthening bonds with friends, and fostering teamwork with colleagues. This guide explores its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage in modern China, complete with example sentences for learners.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jùcān
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To gather together for a meal; a get-together meal.
• In a Nutshell: `聚餐` literally translates to “gather-meal.” It's the essential Chinese social activity of coming together specifically to share a meal. Unlike a simple dinner, a `聚餐` implies a group event with a purpose—whether it's celebrating a holiday, catching up with old friends, or building rapport with coworkers. The event is centered around the communal experience of sharing dishes from a round table.

• 聚 (jù): This character means “to gather,” “to assemble,” or “to get together.” It visually depicts multiple people (聚 is composed of 取 and three 人 'person' radicals, though the etymology is complex) coming to one place. Think of it as the “gathering” part of the word.
• 餐 (cān): This character means “meal” or “to eat.” It's a more formal character for a meal than `饭 (fàn)`. Think of it as the “meal” part of the word.

When combined, 聚餐 (jùcān) forms a very logical and literal compound word: “to gather for a meal.”

In Chinese culture, sharing food is a primary way to build and maintain relationships (关系, guānxi). The `聚餐` is the main stage for this social interaction. It's far more than sustenance; it's a ritual of community and connection. A Western “dinner party” or “get-together” can be a useful comparison, but there are key differences. While a Western party might be at someone's home (like a potluck) and focus on mingling, a Chinese `聚餐` is almost always held at a restaurant. The host orders and pays for a variety of dishes that are placed in the center of a round table for everyone to share. This communal style contrasts with the Western norm of ordering individual plates, reflecting a more collectivist value system. During a `聚餐`, social harmony is paramount. Seating arrangements often reflect seniority, toasts are made to show respect, and the act of placing food on an elder's or a guest's plate is a sign of care and hospitality. It's a microcosm of Chinese social values in action.

Among friends, a `聚餐` is a casual and lively way to catch up. It's common for classmates to have a `毕业聚餐 (bìyè jùcān)`, or “graduation dinner,” to celebrate the end of their studies. For younger people, splitting the bill, known as AA制 (AA zhì), is increasingly common for these informal gatherings.

Family `聚餐`s are essential, especially during holidays like the Spring Festival (春节) or Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节). These meals reinforce family bonds and filial piety. Often hosted by the patriarch or matriarch, these gatherings follow more traditional etiquette regarding seating and serving.

In a professional setting, `聚餐` is a critical tool for 团建 (tuánjiàn), or “team building.” A boss might treat the team to a `聚餐` to boost morale or celebrate a success. These events, sometimes called 饭局 (fànjú) if there's a strategic business purpose, are also used to build `关系 (guānxi)` with clients. The host's generosity in ordering and paying for the meal is a way of showing “face” (面子, miànzi) and respect.

• Example 1:
• 我们周五晚上一起聚餐吧！
• Pinyin: Wǒmen zhōuwǔ wǎnshang yīqǐ jùcān ba!
• English: Let's have a get-together meal on Friday night!
• Analysis: A very common and casual invitation between friends or colleagues. `吧 (ba)` softens the suggestion.
• Example 2:
• 公司为了庆祝项目成功，安排了一次聚餐。
• Pinyin: Gōngsī wèile qìngzhù xiàngmù chénggōng, ānpái le yī cì jùcān.
• English: The company arranged a dinner party to celebrate the project's success.
• Analysis: Here, `聚餐` is used as a noun (`一次聚餐` - one get-together meal). This is a typical corporate context.
• Example 3:
• 快过年了，我们全家要回老家聚餐。
• Pinyin: Kuài guònián le, wǒmen quánjiā yào huí lǎojiā jùcān.
• English: It's almost Chinese New Year, our whole family is going back to our hometown to have a family meal.
• Analysis: This sentence highlights the importance of `聚餐` during major family holidays.
• Example 4:
• 这次同学聚餐是谁组织的？
• Pinyin: Zhè cì tóngxué jùcān shì shéi zǔzhī de?
• English: Who organized this classmate reunion dinner?
• Analysis: Shows `聚餐` used in the context of a reunion. `同学聚餐` is a very common phrase.
• Example 5:
• 抱歉，我今晚有事，不能参加你们的聚餐了。
• Pinyin: Bàoqiàn, wǒ jīnwǎn yǒushì, bùnéng cānjiā nǐmen de jùcān le.
• English: Sorry, I have something on tonight, so I can't join your dinner party.
• Analysis: A polite way to decline an invitation. Note the use of `参加 (cānjiā)` which means “to participate in.”
• Example 6:
• 我们的聚餐地点定在市中心的一家川菜馆。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen de jùcān dìdiǎn dìng zài shìzhōngxīn de yījiā Chuāncài guǎn.
• English: The location for our get-together is set at a Sichuan restaurant in the city center.
• Analysis: This sentence uses `聚餐` as a noun to refer to the event itself.
• Example 7:
• 他很喜欢聚餐，因为很热闹。
• Pinyin: Tā hěn xǐhuān jùcān, yīnwèi hěn rènào.
• English: He really likes get-together meals because they are lively and bustling.
• Analysis: This highlights the social atmosphere (`热闹 rènào`) that is a key characteristic of a `聚餐`.
• Example 8:
• 毕业十年了，我们应该找个时间聚餐，聊聊近况。
• Pinyin: Bìyè shí nián le, wǒmen yīnggāi zhǎo ge shíjiān jùcān, liáoliao jìnkuàng.
• English: It's been ten years since graduation, we should find a time to get together for a meal and catch up.
• Analysis: A classic example of using `聚餐` to propose a reunion and reconnect.
• Example 9:
• 老板说，这个月的部门聚餐他请客。
• Pinyin: Lǎobǎn shuō, zhège yuè de bùmén jùcān tā qǐngkè.
• English: The boss said he's treating for this month's department dinner.
• Analysis: This connects `聚餐` with the concept of `请客 (qǐngkè)`, which means “to treat” or “to host.”
• Example 10:
• 昨天的聚餐你吃得怎么样？
• Pinyin: Zuótiān de jùcān nǐ chī de zěnmeyàng?
• English: How was the food at yesterday's get-together? (Literally: “How did you eat at yesterday's get-together?”)
• Analysis: A common follow-up question after a `聚餐`, showing that the food is still an important part of the experience.

• `聚餐` vs. `约会 (yuēhuì)`: A common mistake for learners is to use `聚餐` for a meal with just one other person. `聚餐` almost always implies a group of three or more people. A meal with one other person, especially with romantic intentions, is a `约会 (yuēhuì)`, or “date.” If it's just two friends meeting, you would simply say `一起吃饭 (yīqǐ chīfàn)`.
• Not a Potluck: Never bring your own food to a Chinese `聚餐` at a restaurant. The host is responsible for ordering and paying for everything. Bringing food would imply the host cannot provide enough, which could cause them to lose face.
• The “Fight” for the Bill: In many situations (especially among friends or colleagues of similar status), there may be a polite, and sometimes theatrical, struggle over who gets to pay the bill. This is a cultural ritual. As a guest, especially of a superior or elder, your role is to make a polite offer to pay but ultimately allow the host to do so. For casual gatherings with peers, suggesting `AA制` from the beginning can avoid this.

• 请客 (qǐngkè) - To treat someone (to a meal, a movie, etc.); to play the host. This is the action the host of a `聚餐` performs.
• 吃饭 (chīfàn) - To eat a meal. This is the general, all-purpose term. `聚餐` is a specific, social type of `吃饭`.
• 团建 (tuánjiàn) - Team building. A corporate `聚餐` is a very common form of `团建`.
• AA制 (AA zhì) - To go Dutch; to split the bill. A modern way to handle payment at a `聚餐` among young friends.
• 派对 (pàiduì) - Party. A loanword from English. A `派对` often involves more than just a meal (like drinks, music, games), whereas a `聚餐` is strictly centered on the dinner itself.
• 宴会 (yànhuì) - Banquet; feast. This is a much more formal, large-scale, and grand version of a `聚餐`, reserved for events like weddings, major company anniversaries, or state functions.
• 饭局 (fànjú) - Dinner party/banquet, but often with a subtext of networking, business, or strategy. It's a `聚餐` with a clear agenda.
• 关系 (guānxi) - Relationships; connections; network. `聚餐` is one of the most important activities for building and maintaining good `关系`.
• 干杯 (gānbēi) - Cheers; Bottoms up. An essential ritual during the toasting portion of many social and business `聚餐`s.
• 热闹 (rènào) - Lively; bustling with noise and excitement. This adjective describes the ideal atmosphere of a happy `聚餐`.