Definition

1. Verb:
   • To feast / to carouse: To eat and drink, especially alcohol, in a lavish, indulgent, and often excessive manner, usually in a social setting. The term carries a connotation of revelry and sometimes wastefulness.
   • To drink (tea/alcohol): In its original, less common usage, it can refer simply to the act of drinking tea or other beverages.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Sau trận thắng, cả đội đi chè chén thâu đêm. (After the victory, the whole team went out to feast all night.)
  • Ông ấy chỉ biết chè chén, không lo làm ăn. (He only knows how to carouse and doesn't focus on his work.)
  • Ngồi quán nhỏ chè chén vài chén trà. (Sitting in a small shop to drink a few cups of tea.)

Advanced Usage

• "chè chén linh đình": to indulge in a lavish, extravagant feast; to have a huge blowout.

  • Đám cưới con nhà giàu chè chén linh đình suốt ba ngày. (The wedding of the rich family featured lavish feasting for three whole days.)

• "chè chén no say": to eat and drink to the point of being full and drunk; to revel until satiated.

  • Nhóm bạn cũ gặp nhau là chè chén no say. (Whenever the old friends meet, they feast and drink until they are full and merry.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chén (n/v): A small cup or bowl; colloquially, to drink (alcohol) in one go.

  • Anh ta nâng chén chúc mừng. (He raised his cup to give a toast.)

• Nhậu nhẹt (v): To eat and drink alcohol (similar to "chè chén" but often more informal and focused on drinking).

  • Họ thích tụ tập nhậu nhẹt cuối tuần. (They like to gather for drinking sessions on weekends.)

Synonyms

• To carouse: To drink alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way.
• To revel: To engage in lively and noisy festivities, especially involving drinking.
• To feast: To eat and drink sumptuously.
• To indulge: To allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of something (like food or drink) to excess.

Related Idioms

• Ăn chơi chè chén: To live a life of pleasure-seeking, feasting, and revelry.

  • Thời trẻ anh ấy chỉ biết ăn chơi chè chén. (In his youth, he only knew a life of partying and feasting.)

• Tiền ăn chưa hết đã lo tiền chè chén: (Money for food isn't even gone, yet you worry about money for feasting.) To prioritize pleasure and entertainment over basic necessities.

  • Anh đừng có tiền ăn chưa hết đã lo tiền chè chén. (Don't worry about partying money before your food money is even spent.)

1. To feast
   • chè chén linh đình
     to indulge in the lavish feasting