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觥筹交错

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: gōng chóu jiāo cuò
  • English Translation: Wine cups and tallies intermingled (a lively, bustling banquet)
  • Idiom Composition: 「觥」（An ancient wine vessel, typically made of horn）＋「筹」（Tallies or chips used for scoring in drinking games）＋「交」（To cross or intermingle）＋「错」（To be in disorder or mixed together）
  • Meaning: A descriptive idiom for a scene where many people are drinking and socializing enthusiastically at a banquet. It evokes the visual image of wine vessels and game markers being passed around, signifying a high-spirited and grand feast.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「觥筹交错」 contains the following nuances:

  • Visual Imagery: The idiom does more than just say people are 'happy'; it uses the physical movement of objects on the table to describe the scale and energy of the event.
  • Formal Register: This is a literary expression. While you wouldn't use it for a casual beer with friends, it is perfect for formal speeches, literature, or describing high-end events.

3. Usage

「觥筹交错」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Literary description of a banquet: Used in novels or essays to vividly describe the atmosphere of a grand party or a bustling feast.
    • Example:「大厅里灯火辉煌，宾客们觥筹交错，谈笑风生。」
      （The hall was brilliantly lit, and the guests were clinking glasses and chatting merrily.）
  • Social and networking occasions: Refers to social settings like business dinners or diplomatic receptions where networking and drinking occur.
    • Example:「他不习惯这种觥筹交错的社交场合，只想早点回家。」
      （He is not used to social occasions where wine flows freely and people mingle, and he just wants to go home early.）
  • Atmospheric or critical tone: Depending on the context, it can describe pure joy or be used critically to suggest decadence or superficiality.
    • Example:「在这觥筹交错的繁华背后，隐藏着深深的空虚。」
      （Behind this scene of grand feasting, there lies a hidden sense of deep emptiness.）

Additional Examples:

  1. 宴会上觥筹交错，大家都喝得面红耳赤。
    （The banquet was in full swing with wine and games, and everyone was drinking until their faces were flushed.）
  2. 我不喜欢那种觥筹交错的应酬，更喜欢独自看书。
    （I don't like those social dinners filled with drinking, I prefer reading a book by myself.）
  3. 昔日觥筹交错的朋友，如今已各奔东西。
    （The friends I once shared many a lively toast with have now all gone their separate ways.）
  4. 在那觥筹交错的夜晚，他们达成了初步协议。
    （During that night of festive drinking, they reached a preliminary agreement.）
  5. 看着眼前觥筹交错的景象，我不禁想起了家乡的粗茶淡饭。
    （Looking at the extravagant feast before me, I couldn't help but think of the simple meals back in my hometown.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Source: This idiom comes from the famous essay 'The Pavilion of the Drunken Old Man' (醉翁亭记) by the Northern Song Dynasty scholar Ouyang Xiu (欧阳修).
  • Drinking Games: The character 筹 (chóu) refers to tallies used in 酒令 (jiǔlìng), or drinking games. In ancient Chinese banquets, guests played games like pitch-pot or composed poetry, and the tallies tracked who had to drink as a penalty.
  • Modern Usage: While modern banquets use glass bottles and digital entertainment, the phrase 觥筹交错 (gōng chóu jiāo cuò) remains the standard high-level way to describe a grand, lively feast.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

觥筹交错 (gōng chóu jiāo cuò) is a sophisticated idiom used to describe a lively banquet or a grand party. It originates from the visual of ancient wine vessels and game markers being passed around. In modern contexts, it is best understood as a 'grand feast' or 'lively social gathering,' often used in literature or formal descriptions of high-society events or business receptions.

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