客人

• Pinyin: kè rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 客 (kè) — guest, visitor; 人 (rén) — person

Meaning

Guest; visitor. A person who is received or entertained at someone's home, business, or event.

Used for guests at home, hotel guests, restaurant patrons, and visitors at events. Chinese culture places great importance on treating guests well.

Examples

1. 今天家里来了客人。 Guests came to our home today.
2. 客人们都坐好了。 The guests are all seated.
3. 我们要好好招待客人。 We should take good care of the guests.

Usage Guide

Context: hospitality, social, everyday

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 客人来了，快准备茶。(The guests are here — get the tea ready.)
• 请把客人带到房间。(Please show the guests to their room.)

Don't Say

• 不要对好朋友说'你是客人' (Don't call a close friend 客人 when they visit — it sounds too formal and distant)

Origin & History

Compound of 客 (guest, visitor) and 人 (person). 客 originally depicted a person arriving at a house.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal