筵 (yán) - banquet mat & feast

筵Tone 2

yán ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

妍嬿

筵 · yán

banquet mat;

feast;

banquet seating arrangement;

originally referring to bamboo mats used for seating at banquets or ceremonies.

banquet matfeastbanquet seating arrangement

Usage highlights

banquet feastwedding banquetfeast for guestsbanquet hallceremonial matbamboo banquet mat

Synonyms

  • 宴— feast, banquet
  • 席— mat, seat, banquet

Antonyms

  • 斋— fasting, abstention from rich food
  • 素— plain, vegetarian (as opposed to feast)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The wedding banquet was grand (婚筵盛大).
  • They prepared a feast to welcome the guests (设筵款待).
  • Ancient ceremonies often used bamboo mats for seating (古礼用竹筵).
  • The imperial banquet had elaborate seating arrangements (宫廷御筵).

Collocations

  • banquet feast(筵席)
  • wedding banquet(婚筵)
  • feast for guests(筵宴)
  • banquet hall(筵堂)
  • ceremonial mat(礼筵)
  • bamboo banquet mat(竹筵)

Idioms

  • Feast over, guests disperse(筵散客归)
  • Grand banquet with hundreds of delicacies(盛筵百味)
  • Seat of honor at a banquet(上筵之位)
  • Bamboo mat for scholarly gathering(文士竹筵)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, 筵 originally referred to the large bamboo mats placed on the floor for seating during banquets and ceremonies.
  • The character reflects traditional Chinese banquet culture where seating arrangements followed strict hierarchical protocols.
  • Over time, 筵 extended to mean the banquet or feast itself, not just the seating mats.
  • The bamboo radical (竹) indicates the original material used for these ceremonial mats.

FAQ