guì: 贵 - Expensive, Noble, Your (polite)

• Keywords: guì, 贵, expensive in Chinese, noble in Chinese, your (polite), Chinese honorifics, how to say expensive in Chinese, nín guì xìng, 贵姓, 太贵了, guì gōngsī, Chinese for beginners, learn Chinese
• Summary: Discover the dual meaning of the essential Chinese character 贵 (guì). While most beginners learn 贵 as “expensive,” its deeper, more culturally significant meaning is “noble,” “valued,” or “honored.” This page will teach you how to use 贵 to talk about prices in a market, and more importantly, how to use it as an honorific term (like in the phrase 您贵姓, nín guì xìng) to show respect in formal and business situations, a crucial skill for navigating Chinese culture.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): guì
• Part of Speech: Adjective, Honorific Pronoun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: Costing a lot of money; of high rank or social standing; a polite and formal way to say “your”.
• In a Nutshell: 贵 (guì) is a word all about high value. Its most common, everyday meaning is “expensive.” If something costs a lot, it's 贵. However, its more traditional and culturally important meaning is “noble” or “honored.” This meaning is applied to people and their affiliations (like their company or country) to show respect. Think of it as a verbal bow. Using 贵 correctly demonstrates politeness and cultural awareness.

• 贵 (guì): This character is a great example of how Chinese characters tell a story. It's a combination of two components:
• The top part (similar to 中) originally depicted two hands.
• The bottom part is 贝 (bèi), which means “shell.” In ancient China, cowrie shells were used as currency.
• Combined Meaning: The character shows hands holding something valuable (currency/shells). This directly leads to its meaning of “valuable,” which then extends to “expensive” (high monetary value) and “noble” (high social value).

The word 贵 (guì) is a window into the importance of respect and formality in Chinese culture. While its use for “expensive” is purely transactional, its use as an honorific is deeply relational. In modern Western culture, particularly in America, casualness is often the default. We rarely use honorifics outside of specific professional titles (“Dr. Smith,” “Judge Judy”). We would never say “your honorable name.” Instead, we might say “May I ask your name, sir?”—the respect is shown through tone and adding “sir,” but the word “name” itself remains neutral. In Chinese, 贵 elevates the noun it modifies. Asking 您贵姓 (nín guì xìng)? (“What is your honorable surname?”) is a standard, polite way to ask for a stranger's name in a formal setting. You are literally calling their surname “noble.” This act of linguistic respect is a way of giving “face” (面子, miànzi) to the other person. It acknowledges their status (or your desire to be polite) and establishes a respectful tone for the interaction, which is especially critical in business and when speaking to elders.

The usage of 贵 falls into two main categories: price and politeness. 1. Describing Price (Expensive) This is the most frequent use in daily conversation. It's used when shopping, discussing costs, or commenting on the value of goods and services.

• Connotation: Neutral to slightly negative (if complaining).
• Formality: Informal to formal.
• Common Phrase: 太贵了! (Tài guì le!) - “It's too expensive!” This is a phrase you'll use and hear constantly while shopping.

2. Showing Respect (Noble, Honored, Your Esteemed…) This is a key feature of formal, polite, and business Chinese. You use 贵 before a noun related to the person you are respectfully addressing.

• Connotation: Very positive and respectful.
• Formality: Formal only. Using it with close friends would sound strange and create distance.
• Common Usage:
  • 贵姓 (guì xìng): Your honorable surname.
  • 贵公司 (guì gōngsī): Your esteemed company.
  • 贵国 (guì guó): Your honorable country (used in diplomacy/formal contexts).
  • 贵宾 (guìbīn): An honored guest / VIP.

• Example 1:
• 这件衣服太贵了，我买不起。
• Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yīfu tài guì le, wǒ mǎi bù qǐ.
• English: This piece of clothing is too expensive, I can't afford it.
• Analysis: The most common, everyday use of 贵. This is a standard sentence you might use while shopping.
• Example 2:
• 请问，您贵姓？
• Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, nín guì xìng?
• English: Excuse me, what is your honorable surname?
• Analysis: This is the classic, essential polite phrase for asking someone's name. Note the use of 您 (nín), the formal “you,” which almost always accompanies 贵姓.
• Example 3:
• 欢迎您，贵宾！
• Pinyin: Huānyíng nín, guìbīn!
• English: Welcome, honored guest!
• Analysis: Here, 贵 is part of a compound word, 贵宾 (guìbīn), which means “VIP” or “honored guest.” This is common in the hospitality industry.
• Example 4:
• 我们非常希望能与贵公司合作。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen fēicháng xīwàng néng yǔ guì gōngsī hézuò.
• English: We very much hope to be able to cooperate with your esteemed company.
• Analysis: A standard and essential sentence in Chinese business communication. Using 贵公司 instead of 你的公司 (nǐ de gōngsī) shows professionalism and respect.
• Example 5:
• 时间是宝贵的，我们不能浪费。
• Pinyin: Shíjiān shì bǎoguì de, wǒmen bùnéng làngfèi.
• English: Time is precious, we cannot waste it.
• Analysis: In the word 宝贵 (bǎoguì), 贵 contributes to the meaning of “valuable” or “precious.” It's used for abstract concepts like time, experience, or friendship.
• Example 6:
• 中国的房价很贵。
• Pinyin: Zhōngguó de fángjià hěn guì.
• English: Housing prices in China are very expensive.
• Analysis: A simple statement of fact using 贵 to describe a high cost on a large scale.
• Example 7:
• 我很欣赏贵国的艺术。
• Pinyin: Wǒ hěn xīnshǎng guì guó de yìshù.
• English: I really admire your country's art.
• Analysis: This is a formal and slightly diplomatic way to show respect when discussing another person's country. You would use this when speaking to a foreign official or someone you want to be very polite to.
• Example 8:
• 物以稀为贵。
• Pinyin: Wù yǐ xī wéi guì.
• English: Things are valued (become precious) for their rarity.
• Analysis: A common Chinese idiom (成语, chéngyǔ) that encapsulates the core meaning of 贵. It demonstrates the deep-rooted connection between rarity and value.
• Example 9:
• 这家餐厅的菜不贵，而且很好吃。
• Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng de cài bù guì, érqiě hěn hǎochī.
• English: The food at this restaurant isn't expensive, and it's also very delicious.
• Analysis: Demonstrates the negative form, 不贵 (bù guì), meaning “not expensive.”
• Example 10:
• 他出身于一个贵族家庭。
• Pinyin: Tā chūshēn yú yīgè guìzú jiātíng.
• English: He comes from an aristocratic family.
• Analysis: Shows 贵 used in 贵族 (guìzú), meaning “nobility” or “aristocracy,” directly pointing to the “high social rank” meaning of the character.

• Mistake 1: Using 贵 to refer to yourself.
  • You use 贵 to honor others, not yourself. Never use it for your own name, company, or country.
  • Incorrect: 我贵姓王。(Wǒ guì xìng Wáng.)
  • Correct: 我姓王。(Wǒ xìng Wáng.)
  • Why it's wrong: Saying “My honorable surname is Wang” sounds arrogant and nonsensical. The politeness is directed outwards.
• Mistake 2: Confusing 贵 (guì) with 你的 (nǐ de).
  • 贵 is a *formal, honorific* “your.” 你的 (nǐ de) is the general, all-purpose “your.” You cannot use them interchangeably. Use 贵 only for formal nouns like “company” or “surname.”
  • Incorrect: 这是你的贵笔吗？ (Zhè shì nǐ de guì bǐ ma?)
  • Correct: 这是你的笔吗？(Zhè shì nǐ de bǐ ma?)
  • Why it's wrong: You would not use an honorific for a common object like a pen. It sounds unnatural and over-the-top.
• Mistake 3: Overusing the honorific in casual settings.
  • Using 贵 with a close friend or in a very informal situation can sound sarcastic or create awkward distance. If you're talking to your classmate, just use 你 (nǐ) or 你的 (nǐ de).

• 便宜 (piányi) - The direct antonym of 贵; meaning “inexpensive” or “cheap.”
• 您 (nín) - The formal and polite “you.” It is the required pronoun when using 贵姓.
• 昂贵 (ángguì) - A more formal and emphatic word for “expensive.” Often used for luxury goods.
• 宝贵 (bǎoguì) - Precious, valuable. Used for things that are treasured, like time, memories, or advice.
• 珍贵 (zhēnguì) - Precious, rare. Similar to 宝贵 but with a stronger emphasis on rarity.
• 高贵 (gāoguì) - Noble, elegant. Describes a person's temperament or quality rather than just their rank.
• 贵宾 (guìbīn) - VIP, honored guest. A common compound word using 贵.
• 贵族 (guìzú) - Nobility, aristocrat. A direct reference to the “noble rank” meaning.
• 尊贵 (zūnguì) - Esteemed, respected. Emphasizes honor and respect, often tied to high status or luxurious quality.