1.
celebratory meal; festive tray of dishes
A special set of dishes served to mark an occasion such as a birth, a wedding, a milestone birthday, or New Year. 膳 is the individual tray on which a formal Japanese meal is laid out, so the word names both the food and its presentation.
When I told her the wedding was settled, my grandmother had a celebratory meal waiting for me.
Belongs to the vocabulary of family ceremonies rather than restaurants, and is usually something prepared or ordered at home for an occasion.
Common collocations
- 祝い膳を用意する: to prepare a celebratory meal
- 祝い膳を囲む: to gather around a celebratory meal
- お食い初めの祝い膳: the meal for a baby's first-food ceremony
Cultural note
The dishes are chosen for their auspicious associations: 鯛 (sea bream) for めでたい, 赤飯 (red rice) for celebration, and whole fish or foods served in pairs for completeness.