1.
to gather around the dining table; to sit together for a meal
To come together as a family or group to share a meal. Emphasizes the warmth of communal dining and togetherness, rather than just the act of eating.
家族で食卓を囲む。
To gather around the table as a family.
久しぶりにみんなで食卓を囲んだ。
We gathered around the table together for the first time in a long while.
毎晩家族全員で食卓を囲むのが、うちのルールだ。
It is a rule in our family that everyone gathers around the dining table together every evening.
USAGE:
A warm, evocative expression that emphasizes family togetherness. Often used nostalgically or in discussions about the importance of family meals. Common in essays, lifestyle writing, and conversations about family values.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 家族で食卓を囲む (to gather around the table as a family)
- みんなで食卓を囲む (to gather around the table together)
- 温かい食卓を囲む (to gather around a warm dining table)