来宾

• Pinyin: lái bīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 来 = 木 variant — come; 宾 = 宀 (roof) + 兵 (soldier) variant — guest

Meaning

Guest; visitor. A person who comes to attend an event or visit a place.

More formal than 客人. Typically used in official or ceremonial contexts such as conferences, weddings, and formal receptions. Often appears in announcements and formal introductions.

Examples

1. 欢迎各位来宾参加今天的开幕式。 Welcome all guests to attend today's opening ceremony.
2. 来宾们陆续入场就座。 The guests entered and took their seats one after another.
3. 主持人向来宾一一介绍了今天的演讲嘉宾。 The host introduced today's speakers to the guests one by one.

Usage Guide

Context: ceremonies, events, announcements

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 请来宾们签到入场。(Please ask guests to sign in and enter.)
• 感谢各位来宾的光临。(Thank you to all guests for coming.)

Don't Say

• 在非正式场合用来宾代替客人。(来宾 is formal — use 客人 in casual settings)

Origin & History

Compound of 来 (come) + 宾 (guest). 宾 is a formal term for guest, elevating the register above casual 客人.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal