jiànxíng: 饯行 - To give a farewell dinner, To see someone off [Contextual Chinese Dictionary]

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====== jiànxíng: 饯行 - To give a farewell dinner, To see someone off ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** jianxing, 饯行, farewell dinner Chinese, seeing someone off in China, Chinese goodbye party, Chinese farewell meal, send-off dinner, jian xing, 送行, 接风, Chinese cultural traditions
  * **Summary:** In Chinese culture, **饯行 (jiànxíng)** is the deeply ingrained tradition of holding a farewell dinner or meal for someone who is about to depart on a long journey, move away, or start a new chapter in life elsewhere. More than just a simple "goodbye party," a `饯行` is a significant social ritual that emphasizes wishing the person well, showing respect, and reinforcing the social bond before their departure. It reflects the cultural importance placed on relationships and proper goodbyes.
===== Core Meaning =====
<hanziwriter>饯行</hanziwriter>
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jiànxíng
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 6
  * **Concise Definition:** To give a farewell dinner or party for a person who is leaving.
  * **In a Nutshell:** `饯行` is the act of treating someone to a special meal before they leave for a long time. It's a way to send them off with a full stomach and warm wishes. Think of it as "fueling them up" with friendship and good food for the journey ahead. This single word encapsulates the entire event: the meal, the goodbyes, and the well-wishes all rolled into one.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **饯 (jiàn):** This character is made of the food radical `饣(shí)` on the left and `浅 (qiǎn)` as a phonetic component on the right. The food radical `饣` strongly links this character to meals, feasts, and provisions. Its original meaning was to send someone off with a gift of food and wine.
  * **行 (xíng):** This is a very common character, originally a pictogram of a crossroads. It means "to go," "to walk," or "a journey."
When you combine them, **饯行 (jiànxíng)** literally means "to provide a feast for a journey." This etymology beautifully captures the word's essence: a meal specifically dedicated to someone's departure.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In ancient China, travel was arduous and dangerous. A journey could take months, and there was no guarantee of a safe return. A farewell meal, or `饯行`, was therefore a deeply significant and sometimes somber event. It was a final opportunity to share a meal, offer advice, and express hopes for a safe journey. It was a way for the community to show their support and care for the departing individual.
This tradition is powerfully contrasted with the typical Western "going-away party."
  * **Focus:** A Western party might be a casual gathering with drinks, music, and mingling. A `饯行` is almost always centered around a sit-down meal, often a multi-course dinner at a restaurant. The focus is on the shared experience of eating together.
  * **Tone:** While a Western party is often celebratory and high-energy, a `饯行` carries a more heartfelt and ceremonial tone. It often involves sincere toasts and speeches wishing the person `一路顺风 (yī lù shùn fēng)` - a smooth journey.
  * **Underlying Value:** The practice of `饯行` is deeply connected to the cultural concepts of **[[关系]] (guānxi)** and **[[人情]] (rénqíng)**. By hosting a `饯行`, you are fulfilling a social obligation, showing you value the relationship, and creating a positive, lasting impression. The reciprocal act is **[[接风]] (jiēfēng)**, a welcome meal for someone who has just arrived. These two acts bookend a journey, showing the continuous care and attention paid to maintaining social bonds.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
Even with modern transportation, the tradition of `饯行` remains strong. It's less about the dangers of travel and more about marking a significant life transition.
  * **For Colleagues:** This is extremely common in the Chinese workplace. When a coworker resigns, gets transferred, or retires, the team or department will organize a `饯行` dinner at a restaurant. It's a sign of respect and appreciation for their contributions.
  * **For Friends & Family:** When a close friend or family member is moving to another city or country for work or study, their social circle will organize one or several `饯行` meals for them. It's a chance to say a proper goodbye and create a final happy memory.
  * **For Students:** Before graduation, classmates who are heading to different cities will often have `饯行` meals for each other, celebrating their time together and wishing each other well in the future.
The formality can range from a casual hotpot dinner among close friends to a large, formal banquet for a departing executive. The key element is that it's an event organized *for* the person who is leaving.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 老王要调到上海分公司了，我们得给他**饯行**。
    * Pinyin: Lǎo Wáng yào diào dào Shànghǎi fēngōngsī le, wǒmen děi gěi tā **jiànxíng**.
    * English: Old Wang is being transferred to the Shanghai branch, we have to give him a farewell dinner.
    * Analysis: A classic workplace scenario. The use of `得 (děi)`, "must," implies this is a social obligation and a natural thing to do.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 你下周就要出国了，这周五晚上我给你**饯行**，你想吃什么？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ xiàzhōu jiù yào chūguó le, zhè zhōuwǔ wǎnshang wǒ gěi nǐ **jiànxíng**, nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?
    * English: You're going abroad next week. I'll give you a farewell dinner this Friday night, what do you want to eat?
    * Analysis: This shows how `饯行` is used in a personal context between friends. The host asks the guest of honor for their food preference, which is a common courtesy.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 谢谢大家的**饯行**晚宴，这些年承蒙各位照顾了。
    * Pinyin: Xièxie dàjiā de **jiànxíng** wǎnyàn, zhèxiē nián chéngméng gèwèi zhàogù le.
    * English: Thank you everyone for the farewell banquet. I'm grateful for all your care over the years.
    * Analysis: This is something the departing person would say during their farewell speech. `饯行晚宴 (jiànxíng wǎnyàn)` means "farewell banquet."
  * **Example 4:**
    * 我今晚去不了了，我要为我最好的朋友**饯行**。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ jīnwǎn qù bùliǎo le, wǒ yào wèi wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou **jiànxíng**.
    * English: I can't make it tonight, I have to attend a farewell dinner for my best friend.
    * Analysis: Here, `为 (wèi)` means "for." The structure `为 [someone] 饯行` is very common.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 他的**饯行**宴就安排在公司附近那家有名的川菜馆吧。
    * Pinyin: Tā de **jiànxíng** yàn jiù ānpái zài gōngsī fùjìn nà jiā yǒumíng de Chuāncàiguǎn ba.
    * English: Let's arrange his farewell dinner at that famous Sichuan restaurant near the company.
    * Analysis: `饯行宴 (jiànxíng yàn)` is the noun form, meaning "farewell dinner/banquet."
  * **Example 6:**
    * 古人折柳**饯行**，以表惜别之情。
    * Pinyin: Gǔrén zhé liǔ **jiànxíng**, yǐ biǎo xībié zhī qíng.
    * English: The ancients would break off a willow branch as a farewell gift to express their reluctance to part.
    * Analysis: A more literary and historical example. The character for willow, `柳 (liǔ)`, is a pun for "to stay," `留 (liú)`. This shows the deep cultural roots of saying goodbye properly.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 你什么时候有空？我们给你**饯行**。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ shénme shíhou yǒu kòng? Wǒmen gěi nǐ **jiànxíng**.
    * English: When are you free? We want to have a farewell meal for you.
    * Analysis: A simple, direct, and common way to propose a farewell dinner.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 虽然只是一个简单的**饯行**便饭，但充满了我们的祝福。
    * Pinyin: Suīrán zhǐshì yī ge jiǎndān de **jiànxíng** biànfàn, dàn chōngmǎn le wǒmen de zhùfú.
    * English: Although it was just a simple farewell meal, it was full of our blessings.
    * Analysis: `便饭 (biànfàn)` means a simple, informal meal. This shows that a `饯行` doesn't have to be a lavish banquet; the intention is what counts.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 部门所有同事都参加了李经理的**饯行**会。
    * Pinyin: Bùmén suǒyǒu tóngshì dōu cānjiā le Lǐ jīnglǐ de **jiànxíng** huì.
    * English: All the colleagues in the department attended Manager Li's farewell party.
    * Analysis: `饯行会 (jiànxíng huì)` is another noun form, meaning "farewell meeting" or "farewell party."
  * **Example 10:**
    * 离开前能和大家一起吃顿饭给我**饯行**，我真的很感动。
    * Pinyin: Líkāi qián néng hé dàjiā yīqǐ chī dùn fàn gěi wǒ **jiànxíng**, wǒ zhēn de hěn gǎndòng.
    * English: I'm truly touched that I could have a meal with everyone to send me off before I leave.
    * Analysis: This sentence perfectly captures the emotional significance of the act from the perspective of the person leaving.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
The most common mistake for learners is to confuse `饯行 (jiànxíng)` with `送行 (sòngxíng)`.
  * **饯行 (jiànxíng):** The farewell **meal or party** that happens **before** the day of departure. It focuses on the social gathering.
  * **送行 (sòngxíng):** The act of **physically accompanying** someone to the airport, train station, or dock to see them off **on the day** they leave.
Think of the timeline:
1.  **饯行 (jiànxíng):** You have a farewell dinner on Wednesday.
2.  **送行 (sòngxíng):** You go to the airport with them on Friday to wave goodbye as they go through security.
  * **Incorrect:** 我们在机场给他**饯行**。 (Wǒmen zài jīchǎng gěi tā jiànxíng.) - We gave him a farewell dinner at the airport.
    * **Why it's wrong:** You don't have a formal farewell meal (`饯行`) at the airport. You physically see someone off (`送行`) at the airport.
  * **Correct:** 我们周三晚上给他**饯行**，周五早上再去机场**送行**。 (Wǒmen zhōusān wǎnshang gěi tā jiànxíng, zhōuwǔ zǎoshang zài qù jīchǎng sòngxíng.) - We had a farewell dinner for him on Wednesday night, and then went to the airport on Friday morning to see him off.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[接风]] (jiēfēng) - The opposite of `饯行`. It means to hold a welcome meal for someone who has just arrived from a journey.
  * [[送行]] (sòngxíng) - To physically see someone off at their point of departure (e.g., airport, train station).
  * [[欢送]] (huānsòng) - To give a cheerful send-off. It's often used in more formal or group settings, like a `欢送会 (huānsònghuì)`, a farewell assembly.
  * [[送别]] (sòngbié) - To bid farewell, to see someone off. A slightly more formal or literary term than `送行`.
  * [[告别]] (gàobié) - The general term for "to say goodbye" or "to part." `饯行` is a specific *action* of `告别`.
  * [[一路顺风]] (yī lù shùn fēng) - "Have a smooth journey." The most common blessing you give to someone during a `饯行` or `送行`.
  * [[宴会]] (yànhuì) - A banquet or feast. A `饯行` often takes the form of a `宴会`.
  * [[人情]] (rénqíng) - Human feeling; favor; social obligation. Hosting a `饯行` is a classic example of fulfilling `人情`.