光顾

• Pinyin: guāng gù
• Hanzi breakdown: 光 = 火 + 人 (brilliance, honour); 顾 = 雇 + 页 (to look around, to attend to)

Meaning

To patronise; to visit (a shop or business); to bestow one's custom upon. A polite or formal way of saying a customer visits or buys from an establishment.

Primarily used in commercial and service contexts, often appearing in polite signage and announcements: 欢迎光顾 (Welcome — lit. 'honoured by your visit'). The term carries a deferential tone, treating the customer's visit as an honour. Also used sarcastically when something unwanted 'pays a visit' (e.g. bad weather 光顾 a city).

Examples

1. 本店自开业以来，蒙受各界顾客的热情光顾，深感荣幸。 Since opening, our shop has been honored by the enthusiastic patronage of customers from all walks of life, and we are deeply grateful.
2. 他不时光顾这家老字号茶馆，在此寻一份闹市中的宁静。 He stops by this old, time-honored teahouse from time to time to find a bit of calm amid the bustle of the city.
3. 今年夏天，多场强台风接连光顾华南沿海，造成严重损失。 This summer, multiple powerful typhoons struck the South China coast one after another, causing severe losses.

Usage Guide

Context: business, retail, services

Tone: polite

Do Say

• 感谢您长期以来对本餐厅的光顾与支持，我们将继续努力提升服务品质。(Thank you for your long-standing patronage and support of our restaurant; we will continue working hard to improve our service quality.)
• 欢迎新老顾客随时光顾，如有任何需求，我们将竭诚为您服务。(All customers, new and returning, are welcome to visit at any time; should you have any needs, we will serve you wholeheartedly.)

Don't Say

• 我光顾了图书馆 — use 去图书馆 or 到访图书馆; 光顾 is specifically for commercial or service establishments where a transaction or service occurs, not public facilities like libraries or museums

Origin & History

光 (honour, brilliance — here meaning 'to honour with one's presence') + 顾 (to look around, to visit, to patronise). Together: to honour a place with one's visit.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal