Definitions

(noun) guest; visitor
(noun) traveller; passenger
(noun) customer; client

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

About

The character "客" is structurally composed of the roof radical "宀" and the component "各", which historically carried connotations of arrival or movement, forming an etymological sense of one who comes under a roof, thus originally denoting a guest or visitor. From this primary meaning, its application extended over time to encompass travelers, patrons, and persons from other localities, reflecting a broader semantic shift towards anyone in a transient or external role. In modern usage, this expansion continues, as seen in compound terms like "客观" where it conveys notions of objectivity or an outside viewpoint, all while the character's foundational structure remains consistent.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这位是人。

Zhè wèi shì kè rén.

This is a guest.

人喜欢这里。

Kè rén xǐ huān zhè lǐ.

Guests like it here.

今天来了很多人。

Jīntiān lái le hěn duō kè rén.

Many guests came today.

他是我们的户。

Tā shì wǒmen de kèhù.

He is our client.

他对我很气。

Tā duì wǒ hěn kèqì.

He is very polite to me.

观地看问题。

Qǐng kèguān de kàn wèntí.

Please look at the problem objectively.

们参观了博物馆之后都很满意。

Yóukèmen cānguān le bówùguǎn zhīhòu dōu hěn mǎnyì.

The tourists were all satisfied after visiting the museum.

必须在起飞前半小时登机。

Chéngkè bìxū zài qǐfēi qián bàn xiǎoshí dēngjī.

Passengers must board the plane half an hour before takeoff.