An evening party, usually a smart one held in someone's home. Another French borrowing, often written with the accent, soirée. The idea is a gathering in the evening with good clothes, conversation, maybe music or a performance — not dancing all night, and not a big loud party. Think of a hostess inviting thirty people for drinks and a pianist.

An evening party晚間聚會（soiree）指的是一種晚上的聚會，usually a smart one held in someone's home通常是滿講究的那種，辦在某人家裡。Another French borrowing是另一個從法文借來的字，often written with the accent, soirée常常會寫成帶重音符號的 soirée。The idea is a gathering in the evening with good clothes, conversation, maybe music or a performance這個概念就是晚上聚在一起，穿得體面、聊天，也許還有音樂或表演——not dancing all night不是整晚跳舞，and not a big loud party也不是又大又吵的派對。Think of a hostess inviting thirty people for drinks and a pianist想像一位女主人邀了三十個人來喝酒、還請了一位鋼琴師。

Because it is a borrowed and slightly grand word, English speakers now use it in two quite different ways. Written seriously, in an invitation or a report of a charity event, it means what it says: a formal evening party. But in ordinary speech it is very often joking — friends will call a small get-together 'our little soiree' precisely because the word is too grand for what they are doing, and the joke is in the gap. You need to hear the tone to know which is meant.

Because it is a borrowed and slightly grand word因為這是個借來的、又帶點高級感的字，English speakers英語使用者 now use it in two quite different ways現在會用兩種很不一樣的方式來用它。Written seriously寫得正經的時候，in an invitation or a report of a charity event像請帖，或慈善活動的報導裡，it means what it says它就是字面上的意思：a formal evening party一場正式的晚間聚會。But在一般口語裡 in ordinary speech it is very often joking這個字反而常常是開玩笑的用法——friends會朋友 will call a small get-together 'our little soiree'把一場小聚會叫做 'our little soiree' precisely because the word is too grand for what they are doing正是因為這個字聽起來太高級，配不上他們實際在做的事，and the joke is in the gap笑點就在那個落差上。You你 need to hear the tone to know which is meant得聽語氣才知道是哪一種意思。

It is said roughly 'SWAH-ray'.

It它 is said roughly 'SWAH-ray'大概唸成 'SWAH-ray'。