酒宴

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 酒宴, read しゅえん, means a feast or gathering involving alcoholic drinks.
• Basic usage: It is used for a drinking celebration after a victory or a scene in which someone steps away from that gathering.
  • 勝利を祝う酒宴は夜遅くまで続いた。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Register compared with 飲み会
  • 酒宴 is a formal word suited to written descriptions of a banquet or drinking gathering. 飲み会 is more common for an everyday get-together over drinks.