客

kè

各 + 宀

Definitions

kè (noun) guest; visitor

kè (noun) traveller; passenger

kè (noun) customer; client

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 宀 represents the meaning and 各 represents the sound.

About

客 is a phono-semantic compound combining 宀 (roof), suggesting a dwelling, with the phonetic 各. Its core meaning is a guest, visitor, or stranger, someone arriving at another's home. By extension, it can refer to things that are objective or external, contrasting with the subjective.

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

这位是客人。

Zhè wèi shì kè rén.

This is a guest.

客人喜欢这里。

Kè rén xǐ huān zhè lǐ.

Guests like it here.

今天来了很多客人。

Jīntiān lái le hěn duō kè rén.

Many guests came today.

他是我们的客户。

Tā shì wǒmen de kèhù.

He is our client.

他对我很客气。

Tā duì wǒ hěn kèqì.

He is very polite to me.

请客观地看问题。

Qǐng kèguān de kàn wèntí.

Please look at the problem objectively.

游客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.

乘客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.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 各

Component: 宀

Example Words