野餐

• Pinyin: yě cān
• Hanzi breakdown: 野 = 里 (village) + 予 (extend — land extending beyond the village; the open wild); 餐 = 歺 (eat/bone remnants) + 食 (food — a meal eaten informally)

Meaning

To have a picnic; to eat a meal outdoors in a natural setting. Also used as a noun.

Refers to eating outdoors, typically in parks, countryside, or scenic areas. Both a verb (去野餐 — to go for a picnic) and a noun (一次野餐 — a picnic). Associated with leisure, family outings, and good weather.

Examples

1. 周末天气格外晴好，一家三口带上自制的三明治和水果，驱车前往郊外的草地野餐。 The weekend weather was especially beautiful, so the family of three packed homemade sandwiches and fruit and drove to a meadow in the suburbs for a picnic.
2. 公司在春季团建活动中安排了野餐环节，同事们席地而坐，边吃边聊，气氛格外轻松。 During the company’s spring team-building event, a picnic was arranged. Colleagues sat on the grass, eating and chatting, and the atmosphere was relaxed.
3. 她在社交媒体上分享了野餐的照片，精心摆放的食物和格子布引来无数点赞和评论。 She shared photos of her picnic on social media. The carefully arranged food and checkered blanket drew tons of likes and comments.

Usage Guide

Context: leisure, family, outdoor, social media

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 五一假期，城市公园和郊野草地上到处是年轻人席地野餐，格子布和零食成了社媒热门内容。(During the May Day holiday, young people were picnicking in parks and suburban grasslands everywhere, and checkered blankets and snacks became popular social media content.)
• 学校每年春天都会去城郊植物园野餐，学生分组准备食物，共进午餐，亲近自然，也增进了感情。(Every spring, the school goes on a picnic at the suburban botanical garden, where students prepare food in groups, have lunch together, enjoy nature, and grow closer.)

Don't Say

• 在沙漠里野餐 — while technically possible, 野餐 strongly implies a pleasant grassy or scenic outdoor setting; for eating in inhospitable terrain say 在沙漠中就地进食 or 野外用餐; 野餐 in a desert context sounds odd without further context

Origin & History

野 (open field/wild — 里 village + 予 extend; land extending beyond the village) + 餐 (meal — 歺 eat + 食 food; eating a meal)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal