贵 (guì) — expensive; precious; honorable

贵 (guì)

贵 primarily means expensive or costly. It is the opposite of 便宜 (piányí, cheap). Beyond price, 贵 appears in polite set phrases: 贵姓 (guì xìng, may I ask your surname) and 贵国 (guì guó, your honorable country), where it means "esteemed" or "honorable."

Meanings

1. [adjective] Expensive; costly. Describes something whose price is high.
2. [adjective] Precious; valuable; esteemed. Used in polite address to honor the listener.

Example Sentences

这件衣服太贵了，我买不起。 Zhè jiàn yīfu tài guì le, wǒ mǎi bu qǐ. This piece of clothing is too expensive; I can't afford it.

黄金非常贵。 Huángjīn fēicháng guì. Gold is very expensive.

请问您贵姓？ Qǐngwèn nín guì xìng? May I ask your surname? (polite)

这家餐厅的菜比那家贵一点。 Zhè jiā cāntīng de cài bǐ nà jiā guì yīdiǎn. The food at this restaurant is a bit more expensive than that one.

Collocations

Memory Hook

贵 has 贝 (shell/money) at the bottom — in ancient China, shells were currency. When something costs many shells, it is 贵 (expensive). The more shells it takes, the more precious it is.