干杯

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干杯 [2025/08/11 08:44] – created xiaoer干杯 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
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-====== gānbēi: 干杯 - Cheers, Bottoms Up ====== +
-===== Quick Summary ===== +
-  * **Keywords:** ganbei, gānbēi, 干杯, cheers in Chinese, bottoms up Chinese, how to say cheers in Mandarin, Chinese toast, toasting in China, Chinese drinking culture, baijiu toast, business dinner China +
-  * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **干杯 (gānbēi)**, the essential Chinese word for "Cheers!". This guide explores its literal meaning of "dry glass" or "bottoms up" and its crucial role in Chinese social and business culture. Learn not just how to say it, but the etiquette, cultural significance, and practical situations where a good **干杯 (gānbēi)** can help you build relationships and show respect. +
-===== Core Meaning ===== +
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** gānbēi +
-  * **Part of Speech:** Verb, Interjection +
-  * **HSK Level:** HSK 3 +
-  * **Concise Definition:** To drink a toast; Cheers!; Bottoms up. +
-  * **In a Nutshell:** 干杯 (gānbēi) is the universal phrase for making a toast in Mandarin Chinese. While it's used like "Cheers!" in English, its literal meaning, "dry the glass," often carries a stronger cultural expectation to finish your drink completely. It's a powerful tool for showing sincerity, respect, and building camaraderie in any social or business gathering. +
-===== Character Breakdown ===== +
-  * **干 (gān):** The primary meaning of this character is "dry." Imagine something left out in the sun until all the moisture is gone. +
-  * **杯 (bēi):** This character means "cup" or "glass." It's composed of the wood radical `木 (mù)` on the left, hinting at early cups made of wood, and a phonetic component `不 (bù)` on the right. +
-  * Together, **干杯 (gānbēi)** literally translates to "dry the cup," a clear and direct instruction to drain your glass. +
-===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== +
-In Chinese culture, drinking—especially at banquets and dinners—is rarely just about quenching thirst. It's a fundamental part of social interaction and relationship-building, known as **酒桌文化 (jiǔzhuō wénhuà)**, or "drinking table culture." +
-The act of saying **干杯 (gānbēi)** is central to this. Unlike the Western "Cheers!", which is often just a lighthearted clinking of glasses followed by a sip, **干杯** traditionally implies a commitment. When you **干杯** with someone, especially a superior, an elder, or an important business client, there is a strong social expectation that you will both empty your glasses. This demonstrates sincerity, respect, and a willingness to participate fully in the social bond being formed. +
-Failing to empty your glass after a **干杯** can be interpreted as insincere or disrespectful in formal contexts. However, the culture is adapting. If you don't wish to or cannot finish your drink, you can politely say **我随意，你干了 (wǒ suíyì, nǐ gān le)**, meaning "I'll drink as I please, you can finish yours." This acknowledges the toast while managing expectations. The key is that **干杯** is less a casual exclamation and more a performative act of social harmony and respect. +
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== +
-==== Business Banquets and Formal Dinners ==== +
-This is where **干杯** is most ritualistic. Toasts are a way to show respect and establish hierarchy. +
-  * Typically, the host will give the first toast. +
-  * Subordinates are expected to toast their superiors. When you toast a superior or elder, you should stand up and hold your glass with two hands. +
-  * When clinking glasses (**碰杯 - pèngbēi**), your rim should be slightly lower than the other person's to show deference. +
-  * In this context, **干杯** almost always means "bottoms up," especially with small glasses of **白酒 (báijiǔ)**. +
-==== Casual Gatherings with Friends ==== +
-Among friends, **干杯** is much more relaxed and closer to the Western "Cheers!". +
-  * The pressure to empty the glass is significantly lower, especially when drinking beer from large glasses. +
-  * It's used to celebrate a moment, kick off a meal, or just create a fun, lively (**热闹 - rènao**) atmosphere. +
-  * You might hear the more colloquial phrase **我们干一个 (wǒmen gān yí ge)**, which means "Let's have a toast!" or "Let's 'ganbei' one!". +
-===== Example Sentences ===== +
-  * **Example 1:** +
-    * 来，我们一起**干杯**！ +
-    * Pinyin: Lái, wǒmen yìqǐ **gānbēi**! +
-    * English: Come on, let's toast together! Cheers! +
-    * Analysis: This is a very common and simple invitation to toast, used in almost any group setting. +
-  * **Example 2:** +
-    * 为了我们的友谊，**干杯**！ +
-    * Pinyin: Wèile wǒmen de yǒuyì, **gānbēi**! +
-    * English: For our friendship, cheers! +
-    * Analysis: A classic toasting formula: "For [the reason], cheers!". This adds a sense of occasion and meaning to the toast. +
-  * **Example 3:** +
-    * 王总，我敬您一杯，祝您生意兴隆！我们**干杯**！ +
-    * Pinyin: Wáng zǒng, wǒ jìng nín yì bēi, zhù nín shēngyì xīnglóng! Wǒmen **gānbēi**! +
-    * English: Director Wang, I'd like to toast you. I wish you prosperous business! Let's do a 'bottoms up'! +
-    * Analysis: This is a typical formal toast in a business setting. It uses the respectful `您 (nín)` and `敬 (jìng)` (to toast someone respectfully), followed by a well-wish and the concluding **干杯**. +
-  * **Example 4:** +
-    * 他酒量很好，每次**干杯**都一口喝完。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā jiǔliàng hěn hǎo, měi cì **gānbēi** dōu yì kǒu hē wán. +
-    * English: He can really hold his liquor; every time there's a toast, he finishes it in one gulp. +
-    * Analysis: Here, **干杯** is used as a noun-like event ("a toast") within a descriptive sentence. +
-  * **Example 5:** +
-    * 别劝了，我真的不能再喝了，我随意，你们**干杯**吧。 +
-    * Pinyin: Bié quàn le, wǒ zhēn de bù néng zài hē le, wǒ suíyì, nǐmen **gānbēi** ba. +
-    * English: Stop insisting, I really can't drink anymore. I'll just sip, you all go ahead and 'bottoms up'. +
-    * Analysis: This demonstrates the crucial escape hatch: **随意 (suíyì)**. It's a polite way to opt-out of the "bottoms up" obligation. +
-  * **Example 6:** +
-    * 在婚礼上，新郎和新娘向所有来宾**干杯**表示感谢。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zài hūnlǐ shàng, xīnláng hé xīnniáng xiàng suǒyǒu láibīn **gānbēi** biǎoshì gǎnxiè. +
-    * English: At the wedding, the groom and bride toasted all the guests to express their gratitude. +
-    * Analysis: This shows **干杯** used as a verb describing a formal action directed at a group of people (`向...干杯` - to toast someone). +
-  * **Example 7:** +
-    * 让我们为这个项目的成功**干杯**！ +
-    * Pinyin: Ràng wǒmen wèi zhège xiàngmù de chénggōng **gānbēi**! +
-    * English: Let's toast to the success of this project! +
-    * Analysis: Another common structure, "Let's toast for/to [something]". Perfect for work celebrations. +
-  * **Example 8:** +
-    * 他提议大家一起**干杯**，庆祝新年。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā tíyì dàjiā yìqǐ **gānbēi**, qìngzhù xīnnián. +
-    * English: He proposed that everyone toast together to celebrate the New Year. +
-    * Analysis: Shows how to phrase "proposing a toast" using **提议 (tíyì)**. +
-  * **Example 9:** +
-    * 喝啤酒的时候，我们通常只是碰一下杯，不一定真的**干杯**。 +
-    * Pinyin: Hē píjiǔ de shíhou, wǒmen tōngcháng zhǐshì pèng yíxià bēi, bù yídìng zhēn de **gānbēi**. +
-    * English: When drinking beer, we usually just clink glasses; we don't necessarily 'bottoms up'. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence explicitly highlights the nuance between the act of toasting and the specific expectation of finishing the drink. +
-  * **Example 10:** +
-    * 好久不见，兄弟！来，咱们先**干**一个！ +
-    * Pinyin: Hǎojiǔ bújiàn, xiōngdì! Lái, zánmen xiān **gān** yí ge! +
-    * English: Long time no see, bro! Come on, let's do a toast first! +
-    * Analysis: A very colloquial and friendly version. **干一个 (gān yí ge)** is a common, informal alternative to a full **干杯**. +
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== +
-  * **Mistake: Treating "干杯" exactly like "Cheers!".** +
-    * The biggest pitfall for learners is assuming **干杯** is a direct, 1-to-1 equivalent of "Cheers!". In the West, "Cheers!" carries no obligation. In China, **干杯** often does. +
-    * **Correction:** Pay attention to the context. In a formal setting or when someone toasts you directly, the default expectation is to empty your glass. If you see others doing it, you should follow suit if possible. +
-  * **Mistake: Using "干杯" when drinking alone.** +
-    * **Incorrect:** `我一个人在家看电影，对自己说“干杯”。` (Wǒ yí ge rén zài jiā kàn diànyǐng, duì zìjǐ shuō "gānbēi".) +
-    * **Why it's wrong:** **干杯** is an inherently social act. It requires at least two people participating in a toast. Toasting yourself is strange and nonsensical in Chinese culture. +
-  * **Nuance: Not all toasts are a "干杯".** +
-    * Someone might raise their glass and say, "大家随意喝 (dàjiā suíyì hē)," which means "Everyone drink as you please." This is a toast, but it explicitly removes the "bottoms up" pressure. Listen for cues like **随意 (suíyì)** vs. **干杯 (gānbēi)**. +
-===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== +
-  * [[敬酒]] (jìngjiǔ) - To formally propose a toast to someone, usually an elder or superior, as a sign of respect. +
-  * [[碰杯]] (pèngbēi) - To clink glasses. The physical action that accompanies a toast. +
-  * [[随意]] (suíyì) - "As one pleases" or "casually." The key term used to signal that one does not have to finish their drink. +
-  * [[喝酒]] (hējiǔ) - The general verb for "to drink alcohol." +
-  * [[酒桌文化]] (jiǔzhuō wénhuà) - "Drinking table culture," the entire system of etiquette and social rituals surrounding drinking in China. +
-  * [[白酒]] (báijiǔ) - A strong, clear Chinese liquor, often the drink of choice for formal **干杯** toasts. +
-  * [[关系]] (guānxi) - Social connections and relationships, which are often built and strengthened through the rituals of **酒桌文化**. +
-  * [[热闹]] (rènao) - A lively, bustling, and cheerful atmosphere, which group toasts are meant to create. +
-  * [[酒量]] (jiǔliàng) - A person's capacity for drinking alcohol; "alcohol tolerance."+