团聚

tuánjù: 团聚 - To Reunite, To Gather Together

Quick Summary

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  • Summary: Learn the meaning of 团聚 (tuánjù), a core Chinese term for the emotional act of a family reunion. More than just a get-together, tuánjù represents the deeply cultural practice of family members traveling, often across great distances, to gather together, especially during major holidays like Chinese New Year. This page explores its cultural significance, practical usage, and provides clear examples to help you understand this heartwarming concept.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): tuánjù
  • Part of Speech: Verb
  • HSK Level: HSK 5
  • Concise Definition: To reunite or gather together, specifically referring to a family reunion after a period of separation.
  • In a Nutshell: 团聚 (tuánjù) is not just “meeting up.” It carries a profound emotional weight, signifying the restoration of the family unit to a state of wholeness and warmth. It’s the feeling of coming home, of seeing loved ones after being apart, and it is a cornerstone of Chinese family culture, particularly during festivals. The word itself evokes a sense of completion and belonging.

Character Breakdown

  • 团 (tuán): This character means “group,” “ball,” or “circle.” Pictorially, it represents something round or whole inside an enclosure. Think of a dumpling or a group of people forming a circle. It carries the idea of unity and completeness.
  • 聚 (jù): This character means “to gather” or “to assemble.” It depicts multiple people (人) being brought together. The act of gathering is central to its meaning.
  • When combined, 团聚 (tuánjù) literally means “to gather into a group/circle.” This beautifully captures the idea of a family, separated by distance, coming back together to form a complete, unified circle.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • In Chinese culture, the family (家, jiā) is the fundamental unit of society. Maintaining strong family bonds, even across generations and vast distances, is a paramount value. 团聚 (tuánjù) is the ultimate expression of this value.
  • The concept is most powerfully demonstrated during two major holidays:
    • Chinese New Year (春节, Chūnjié): This is the most important time for 团聚. The entire country seems to shut down as hundreds of millions of people undertake the world's largest annual human migration (春运, chūnyùn) just to be with their families for New Year's Eve dinner (年夜饭, niányèfàn). Missing this reunion is a source of great sadness.
    • Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节, Zhōngqiūjié): This festival celebrates the full moon, which is perfectly round (圆, yuán). The moon's roundness is a powerful symbol of family completeness and unity, making it the second most important time for 团聚.
  • Comparison to Western Culture: While Western cultures have family gatherings like Thanksgiving or Christmas, 团聚 often carries a stronger sense of obligation and cultural ritual. For many Chinese people, especially those working far from their hometowns, the annual 团聚 is not just a pleasant tradition but a necessary pilgrimage to reaffirm family ties and fulfill duties of filial piety (孝, xiào). It is less of a casual “get-together” and more of a fundamental act of maintaining one's place within the family structure.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • 团聚 (tuánjù) is used in a wide range of situations, though almost always in the context of family or extremely close friends who feel like family.
  • It describes students returning home from university for the holidays, children who work in big cities visiting their parents in their hometowns, or families reuniting after years of living in different countries.
  • The connotation is overwhelmingly positive, warm, and often emotional. It is used in everyday conversation, news reports on holiday travel, and sentimental posts on social media. It is a standard term that can be used in both formal and informal settings without issue.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 春节是中国人与家人团聚最重要的日子。
    • Pinyin: Chūnjié shì Zhōngguó rén yǔ jiārén tuánjù zuì zhòngyào de rìzi.
    • English: Chinese New Year is the most important day for Chinese people to reunite with their families.
    • Analysis: This sentence states a core cultural fact and is a perfect example of 团聚 in its most common context.
  • Example 2:
    • 姐姐在国外工作，我们一家人已经两年没有团聚了。
    • Pinyin: Jiějiě zài guówài gōngzuò, wǒmen yījiā rén yǐjīng liǎng nián méiyǒu tuánjù le.
    • English: My older sister works abroad, so our family hasn't been able to reunite for two years.
    • Analysis: This shows the feeling of longing and sadness that comes from the absence of 团聚.
  • Example 3:
    • 你什么时候回家和父母团聚？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ shénme shíhòu huí jiā hé fùmǔ tuánjù?
    • English: When are you going home to reunite with your parents?
    • Analysis: A common and natural question to ask a friend or colleague who lives away from their parents.
  • Example 4:
    • 看到他们一家人团聚的场面，我感动得哭了。
    • Pinyin: Kàndào tāmen yījiā rén tuánjù de chǎngmiàn, wǒ gǎndòng de kū le.
    • English: Seeing the scene of their family reuniting, I was so moved that I cried.
    • Analysis: This highlights the deep emotional power associated with the act of 团聚.
  • Example 5:
    • 毕业十年后，我们这些老朋友终于又能团聚了。
    • Pinyin: Bìyè shí nián hòu, wǒmen zhèxiē lǎo péngyǒu zhōngyú yòu néng tuánjù le.
    • English: Ten years after graduation, we old friends can finally reunite again.
    • Analysis: While primarily for family, 团聚 can be used for very close, long-lost friends, implying a bond as strong as family.
  • Example 6:
    • 无论多远，他每年都要想办法和妻儿团聚。
    • Pinyin: Wúlùn duō yuǎn, tā měi nián dōu yào xiǎng bànfǎ hé qī ér tuánjù.
    • English: No matter how far away, he finds a way to reunite with his wife and children every year.
    • Analysis: This sentence emphasizes the determination and effort people put into making 团聚 happen.
  • Example 7:
    • 疫情让许多家庭无法团聚。
    • Pinyin: Yìqíng ràng xǔduō jiātíng wúfǎ tuánjù.
    • English: The pandemic made it impossible for many families to reunite.
    • Analysis: A modern, real-world example showing how external circumstances can prevent 团聚, which is seen as a great hardship.
  • Example 8:
    • 这是一个关于失散多年的兄弟终于团聚的故事。
    • Pinyin: Zhè shì yīgè guānyú shīsàn duōnián de xiōngdì zhōngyú tuánjù de gùshì.
    • English: This is a story about brothers, separated for many years, finally reuniting.
    • Analysis: Shows 团聚 used in a more dramatic, storytelling context.
  • Example 9:
    • 中秋节是家庭团聚的象征。
    • Pinyin: Zhōngqiūjié shì jiātíng tuánjù de xiàngzhēng.
    • English: The Mid-Autumn Festival is a symbol of family reunion.
    • Analysis: Here, 团聚 is used more as a concept or noun, linked directly to a cultural symbol.
  • Example 10:
    • 为了这次团聚，我们准备了好几个星期。
    • Pinyin: Wèile zhè cì tuánjù, wǒmen zhǔnbèile hǎojǐ gè xīngqī.
    • English: We prepared for several weeks for this reunion.
    • Analysis: This treats “reunion” as an event, using 团聚 as a noun. This is a common and flexible usage.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • 团聚 (tuánjù) vs. 聚会 (jùhuì): This is the most critical distinction for learners.
    • 团聚 (tuánjù) is for family (or family-like friends) reuniting after a separation. It is emotional and implies a restoration of wholeness.
    • 聚会 (jùhuì) is a general term for a “gathering,” “get-together,” or “party.” It can be for colleagues, friends, classmates, etc. It doesn't have the same deep emotional weight.
    • Incorrect: 我们公司上周五团聚了。 (Wǒmen gōngsī shàng zhōuwǔ tuánjù le.)
    • Why it's wrong: A company gathering is a professional or social event, not a family reunion.
    • Correct: 我们公司上周五聚会了。 (Wǒmen gōngsī shàng zhōuwǔ jùhuì le.) - Our company had a get-together last Friday.
  • False Friend: “Reunion”: In English, you can have a “high school reunion,” a “band reunion,” or a “cast reunion.” You cannot use 团聚 for these. For a school reunion, the correct term is 同学聚会 (tóngxué jùhuì). Using 团聚 would sound overly dramatic and misplaced, as if your classmates were your long-lost family.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 团圆 (tuányuán) - Very similar to 团聚, but often used as a noun or adjective to describe the state of being complete and reunited. Strongly associated with the roundness of the Mid-Autumn moon.
  • 聚会 (jùhuì) - A general gathering or party for friends, colleagues, or any group. Lacks the deep family connotation of 团聚.
  • 重逢 (chóngféng) - To meet again after a long separation. It's more literary and can be used for any two people (e.g., old friends, past lovers), not necessarily a whole family.
  • 春节 (Chūnjié) - Chinese New Year, the most important cultural event centered around 团聚.
  • 中秋节 (Zhōngqiūjié) - The Mid-Autumn Festival, the second major holiday for family 团聚.
  • 春运 (chūnyùn) - The Spring Festival travel rush; the massive annual migration of people traveling home for 团聚.
  • 家人 (jiārén) - Family members; the people who engage in 团聚.
  • 离别 (líbié) - The antonym: to part, to leave. It is the separation that makes a future 团聚 so meaningful.