jùhuì: 聚会 - Gathering, Party, Get-together

• Keywords: jùhuì, 聚会, Chinese party, Chinese gathering, get-together in Chinese, what is a juhui, social gathering China, friends meeting in Chinese, meet up in Chinese, HSK 3 vocabulary
• Summary: Learn about the essential Chinese term 聚会 (jùhuì), which means “gathering,” “party,” or “get-together.” This page explores what a `jùhuì` is, how it differs from a Western “party,” and its cultural importance in building relationships in China. Discover how to use it in everyday conversation, from a casual friends' meeting to a lively family get-together, with numerous practical examples.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jùhuì
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A social gathering of people for leisure or celebration; to get together.
• In a Nutshell: 聚会 (jùhuì) is your go-to, all-purpose word for any social get-together. It's broader and often less wild than the English word “party.” It can be a simple dinner with a few friends, a class reunion, a family holiday celebration, or a KTV night. The core idea isn't necessarily a loud celebration, but simply the act of people coming together to connect and share time.

• 聚 (jù): This character means “to gather,” “to assemble,” or “to get together.” Think of it as the action of bringing people or things to one central point.
• 会 (huì): This character means “to meet,” “meeting,” or “an association.” It signifies the event or occasion of meeting.
• When combined, 聚会 (jùhuì) literally translates to “gather-meet.” The meaning is very straightforward: it's an event where people have gathered to meet and socialize.

In Chinese culture, maintaining social harmony and strong personal relationships (guānxi) is paramount. The 聚会 (jùhuì) is a fundamental social ritual for building and reinforcing these bonds. A key difference from a typical Western “party” is the structure and focus. While a Western party might involve a lot of free-form mingling, loud music, and dancing, a Chinese `jùhuì` is often centered around a shared, structured activity. The most common of these is eating. A dinner party (jùcān) is a classic form of `jùhuì`. Other popular activities include singing karaoke (KTV), playing mahjong, or simply drinking tea and chatting. The atmosphere sought is often 热闹 (rènao)—lively and bustling with positive human energy—rather than “wild.” It's about collective enjoyment and strengthening the group dynamic, reflecting the collectivist nature of the culture. A `聚会` is less about individual expression and more about enjoying being part of a group, whether it's family, friends, or classmates.

聚会 (jùhuì) is an extremely common and versatile word used in daily life. It can function as both a noun (a gathering) and a verb (to gather).

• As a Noun: You can “have,” “organize,” or “attend” a `聚会`.
  • “I have a gathering tonight.” - 我今天晚上有个聚会。(Wǒ jīntiān wǎnshang yǒu ge jùhuì.)
• As a Verb: You can use it to suggest getting together with someone.
  • “When are we getting together?” - 我们什么时候聚会？(Wǒmen shénme shíhou jùhuì?)

It's generally informal and friendly. You would use it for:

• 朋友聚会 (péngyou jùhuì): A get-together with friends.
• 家庭聚会 (jiātíng jùhuì): A family gathering (e.g., for a holiday or birthday).
• 同学聚会 (tóngxué jùhuì): A class reunion.
• 公司聚会 (gōngsī jùhuì): An office party or get-together (though 团建 (tuánjiàn) is more specific for corporate team-building events).

• Example 1:
  • 这个周末我们有个朋友聚会，你要来吗？
  • Pinyin: Zhège zhōumò wǒmen yǒu ge péngyou jùhuì, nǐ yào lái ma?
  • English: We're having a friends' get-together this weekend, do you want to come?
  • Analysis: A classic invitation. `有个聚会` (yǒu ge jùhuì) literally means “have a gathering” and is the standard way to say you're hosting or there's one happening.
• Example 2:
  • 我们好久没聚会了，找个时间一起吃饭吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen hǎojiǔ méi jùhuì le, zhǎo ge shíjiān yìqǐ chīfàn ba.
  • English: We haven't gotten together in a long time, let's find a time to eat together.
  • Analysis: Here, `聚会` is used as a verb. `好久没 [verb] 了` (hǎojiǔ méi…le) is a common pattern for “haven't done [verb] in a long time.”
• Example 3:
  • 昨天的聚会怎么样？热闹吗？
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān de jùhuì zěnmeyàng? Rènao ma?
  • English: How was the party yesterday? Was it lively?
  • Analysis: This shows how to ask about a past `聚会`. Note the use of 热闹 (rènao) as a key measure of a successful gathering.
• Example 4:
  • 这是我们的年度家庭聚会。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒmen de niándù jiātíng jùhuì.
  • English: This is our annual family gathering.
  • Analysis: `家庭聚会` (jiātíng jùhuì) is a fixed phrase for “family gathering.” `年度` (niándù) means “annual.”
• Example 5:
  • 他正在组织大学同学聚会。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài zǔzhī dàxué tóngxué jùhuì.
  • English: He is organizing a university class reunion.
  • Analysis: `组织` (zǔzhī) means “to organize.” This sentence shows a common type of gathering: a `同学聚会` (tóngxué jùhuì) or class reunion.
• Example 6:
  • 不好意思，我不能参加这次的聚会，因为我得加班。
  • Pinyin: Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ bù néng cānjiā zhè cì de jùhuì, yīnwèi wǒ děi jiābān.
  • English: Sorry, I can't attend this gathering because I have to work overtime.
  • Analysis: A polite way to decline an invitation. `参加` (cānjiā) means “to participate in” or “attend.”
• Example 7:
  • 咱们什么时候再聚会一下？
  • Pinyin: Zánmen shénme shíhou zài jùhuì yíxià?
  • English: When should we get together again?
  • Analysis: Using `一下` (yíxià) after the verb `聚会` softens the tone, making it a very casual and friendly suggestion, like “get together for a bit.”
• Example 8:
  • 每次聚会，大家最喜欢的就是一起唱歌。
  • Pinyin: Měi cì jùhuì, dàjiā zuì xǐhuan de jiùshì yìqǐ chànggē.
  • English: At every gathering, everyone's favorite thing to do is sing together.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights a common activity at a Chinese `聚会`: going to KTV.
• Example 9:
  • 为了庆祝你升职，我们为你办一个聚会吧！
  • Pinyin: Wèile qìngzhù nǐ shēngzhí, wǒmen wèi nǐ bàn yí ge jùhuì ba!
  • English: To celebrate your promotion, let's throw a party for you!
  • Analysis: `办` (bàn) means “to hold” or “to run” an event. `办聚会` (bàn jùhuì) is a common alternative to `组织聚会` (zǔzhī jùhuì).
• Example 10:
  • 只是一个小型聚会，不用穿得太正式。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐshì yí ge xiǎoxíng jùhuì, búyòng chuān de tài zhèngshì.
  • English: It's just a small get-together, no need to dress too formally.
  • Analysis: `小型` (xiǎoxíng) means “small-scale,” showing how you can describe the size of the gathering.

• 聚会 (jùhuì) vs. 派对 (pàiduì): This is the most common point of confusion.
  • 聚会 (jùhuì): A general, often traditional get-together. The focus is on connecting, eating, or a shared activity.
  • 派对 (pàiduì): A loanword from “party.” It specifically implies a more Western-style event with loud music, dancing, drinks, and a celebratory, high-energy atmosphere. A birthday `jùhuì` might be a nice dinner, while a birthday `pàiduì` might be at a club.
  • Mistake: Calling a quiet family dinner a `派对` would sound strange.
• 聚会 (jùhuì) vs. 会议 (huìyì):
  • 会议 (huìyì): This means “meeting” or “conference” in a formal, business, or organizational sense. It's for work, not for fun.
  • Mistake: Never invite your friends to a `会议` for dinner. They will think it's a business meeting.
  • Incorrect: 我们周末开个会议吧。 (Wǒmen zhōumò kāi ge huìyì ba.) - This sounds like “Let's hold a business conference this weekend.”
  • Correct: 我们周末聚会吧。 (Wǒmen zhōumò jùhuì ba.)
• 聚会 (jùhuì) vs. 约会 (yuēhuì):
  • 约会 (yuēhuì): This specifically means a romantic “date” between two people.
  • Mistake: Mixing these up can be very embarrassing. A `聚会` is for a group; a `约会` is for a couple. If you ask a group of friends to `约会`, you are making a very confusing (and possibly awkward) suggestion.

• 派对 (pàiduì) - A Western-style “party.” More about celebration, music, and dancing than a typical `jùhuì`.
• 聚餐 (jùcān) - A dinner party; to get together to eat. A very common and specific type of `jùhuì`.
• 宴会 (yànhuì) - A banquet or feast. More formal and grand than a `jùhuì`, often for weddings or official functions.
• 约会 (yuēhuì) - A romantic date. It is crucial not to confuse this with a group `jùhuì`.
• 团建 (tuánjiàn) - “Team building.” A corporate gathering or activity organized by a company for its employees.
• 集会 (jíhuì) - An assembly or rally. A much more formal and serious term, often with political or protest connotations.
• 会议 (huìyì) - A formal meeting or conference for business or official matters.
• 关系 (guānxi) - The network of social connections and relationships that are nurtured and maintained through activities like `jùhuì`.
• 热闹 (rènao) - Lively, bustling. The desired atmosphere of a good `jùhuì`, filled with happy, human energy.