酒楼

• Pinyin: jiǔ lóu
• Hanzi breakdown: 酒 = liquid + wine vessel — alcohol; 楼 = 木 (wood) + 娄 (phonetic) — multi-storey wooden building

Meaning

Restaurant; high-class Chinese restaurant (literally: wine tower/building).

Historically, a 酒楼 was a multi-storey establishment serving both food and wine — the precursor of the modern restaurant in Chinese cities. Today it specifically refers to large, high-end Chinese restaurants that serve traditional dishes in a formal setting. Less common in everyday casual dining; associated with banquets, celebrations, and business entertaining.

Examples

1. 他订了一间私人包厢，请客人在这家百年老字号酒楼里用餐。 He booked a private room and invited his guests to dine at this century-old prestigious restaurant.
2. 这家粤菜酒楼以精致的点心闻名，每逢周末都座无虚席。 This Cantonese restaurant is famous for its exquisite dim sum — every weekend every seat is taken.
3. 节假日里，各大酒楼的包间早早就被订满，想吃得提前好几天预约。 During holidays and festivals, private rooms at major restaurants are booked up early — you need to reserve several days in advance.

Usage Guide

Context: dining, celebration, business entertainment

Tone: neutral to formal

Do Say

• 这家酒楼的北京烤鸭据说是全市最正宗的。(This restaurant's Peking duck is said to be the most authentic in the entire city.)
• 我们在酒楼订了一桌，庆祝奶奶的八十大寿。(We booked a table at the restaurant to celebrate Grandma's eightieth birthday.)

Don't Say

• 我去酒楼买了瓶水。(酒楼 is a sit-down dining establishment — not a convenience store or casual shop)

Origin & History

酒 (alcohol, wine) + 楼 (multi-storey building). Historically: a two- or three-storey building where wine was sold and consumed alongside food. The term dates to at least the Tang dynasty and is mentioned in classical literature including Dream of the Red Chamber.

Cultural Context

Era: Tang dynasty onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal