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国宾 (guó bīn) — state guest (officially invited by a national government)

Definition

国宾 (guóbīn) is a formal noun for a 'state guest' — a foreign head of state or high-ranking official officially hosted by a government, used in diplomatic and ceremonial contexts like banquets and welcoming ceremonies.

noun
state guest (officially invited by a national government)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 国宾。
    Zǒng tǒng zài jī chǎng yíng jiē guó bīn.
    The president welcomed the state guest at the airport.
  • 国宾。
    guó bīn Cān guān le gù gōng bó wù yuàn.
    The state guest visited the Palace Museum.
  • 国宾。
    Zhè chǎng yàn huì shì wèi guó bīn jǔ bàn de.
    This banquet was held for the state guest.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

国guóstate
宾bīnguest

“国” (state) names the authority that receives the “宾” (guest).

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 賓; 宾 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèi
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡧍
𡧍𡧍賓bīn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賓 is built from 𡧍 and 貝: 𡧍 gives the sound, and 貝 relates to the meaning. The simplified 宾 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 宾 →
Appears in
International & Diplomacy

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