贵重

• Pinyin: guì zhòng
• Hanzi breakdown: 贵 = 中 + 贝 (cowrie shell — precious); 重 = 千 + 里 — heavy, important

Meaning

Precious; valuable; of great worth, either monetarily or sentimentally. Used to describe items that must be carefully safeguarded.

Commonly paired with 物品 (items) and 财物 (belongings) in warnings and instructions (请妥善保管贵重物品 — please take good care of your valuables). Indicates both monetary value and the responsibility of the owner to protect something. Slightly more formal than 值钱; implies the need for careful handling.

Examples

1. 乘客请妥善保管随身携带的贵重物品，谨防遗失。 Passengers, please take good care of your valuables and guard against loss.
2. 博物馆对馆内贵重文物实施了严格的安保措施。 The museum has implemented strict security measures for its valuable cultural relics.
3. 这枚戒指虽不贵重，却承载着家族三代人的情感记忆。 This ring isn't valuable, but it carries the emotional memories of three generations of the family.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, safety, valuables, museum

Tone: cautionary

Do Say

• 旅途中请将贵重物品放入酒店保险箱，切勿随意置于房间内。(When travelling, please store valuables in the hotel safe and do not leave them casually around the room.)
• 这批贵重书画在运输过程中须采用专业包装和恒温车辆。(These precious paintings and calligraphy works require professional packaging and temperature-controlled vehicles during transport.)

Don't Say

• 这顿饭很贵重 — 贵重 refers to portable items of monetary or sentimental value, not meals; use 这顿饭很珍贵 if emotionally meaningful, or 这顿饭很贵 if it was expensive

Origin & History

贵 (precious/expensive) + 重 (weighty/important). Together: something precious and of great weight — valuable and requiring careful treatment and safeguarding.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal