接风洗尘
jiē fēng xǐ chén
to hold a welcome dinner for someone just arrived from a journey
Character by character
接jiē
receive
receive
风fēng
wind
wind
洗xǐ
wash
wash
尘chén
dust
dust
Example
你出差三个月，今天总算回来了，晚上我请客，给你接风洗尘。
You have been away on business for three months and you are finally back: dinner tonight is on me, to welcome you home.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
接风 is meeting a traveller off the road, 洗尘 washing off the dust of the journey; today it means a welcome meal: 给某人接风, 为某人接风洗尘. Its opposite is a farewell meal, 饯行 or 送行. In the north-east a host may take 洗尘 literally and start at the bathhouse.
Learn this in Lesson 133 · HSK 7–9: 北方的澡堂子 (The northern bathhouse)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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