沈宴（shěn yàn）

Pronunciation: shěn yàn

Basic Meaning: to fall silent; to become quiet

Detailed Explanation: The idiom "沈宴" is composed of two characters: "沈" means "to sink" or "to fall silent," and "宴" means "a feast" or "a banquet." Together, they indicate that a noisy gathering suddenly becomes quiet or silent. It is often used to describe a situation where everyone stops talking and becomes silent.

Usage Scenarios: This idiom is commonly used to describe a sudden silence that falls over a previously noisy gathering. It can be used in various contexts, such as when a heated argument suddenly ends or when a lively party suddenly becomes quiet.

Story Origin: The origin of this idiom comes from a story in the ancient Chinese book "Zuo Zhuan." In the story, a man named Ji Zi was attending a banquet hosted by Duke Xiang of Song. During the banquet, Ji Zi criticized the Duke's actions, causing everyone to fall silent. This incident led to the creation of the idiom "沈宴" to describe a sudden silence at a gathering.

Structure of the Idiom: Subject + 沈宴

Example Sentences:

1. 在他的一席話后，整個會議室沈宴了。

(After his speech, the whole conference room fell silent.)

2. 當他們聽到警報聲時，嘈雜的街道沈宴了。

(When they heard the alarm, the noisy street became quiet.)

3. 他的突然離開使得聚會瞬間沈宴。

(His sudden departure made the party instantly silent.)

Memory Techniques: To remember the meaning of "沈宴," you can imagine a scene where a lively banquet suddenly becomes quiet as if sinking into silence. Visualize the characters "沈宴" sinking into a peaceful silence to help you remember the idiom.

Extended Learning: To further understand the usage of this idiom, you can explore other related idioms or phrases that describe silence or quietness, such as "寂靜無聲" (jì jìng wú shēng) meaning "quiet and silent."

Example Sentences from Different Age Groups:

1. Children: 他們玩得太嗨了，突然間沈宴了。

(They were having so much fun, but suddenly it became quiet.)

2. Teenagers: 在老師的嚴厲批評下，教室沈宴了。

(Under the teacher's harsh criticism, the classroom fell silent.)

3. Adults: 在他的離去后，家里沈宴了。

(After he left, the house became quiet.)