待客 (dài kè) — to receive guests, to entertain visitors

Definition

待客 (dài kè) is a separable verb meaning 'to receive and host guests' — you can insert words between 待 and 客, e.g. 待了一天的客 ('hosted guests all day').

verb

to receive gueststo entertain visitors

待客，。
Tā jīn tiān zài jiā dài kè, méi qù shàng bān.
He's receiving guests at home today and didn't go to work.
，。
Zuó tiān wǒ dài le yì tiān de kè, lèi huài le.
Yesterday I entertained guests all day and was exhausted.
，。
Tā dài kè fēi cháng zhōu dào, kè rén dōu hěn mǎn yì.
She is very attentive in receiving guests; all the visitors were satisfied.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

待dàireceive/entertain

待 means to receive or entertain, while 客 is the guest, naming hosting visitors.

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.

彳寺待

Meaning part形符xíngfú

彳彳chì

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì待dài

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

待 is built from 彳 on the left and 寺 on the right; 彳 is tied to the meaning, and 寺 gives the sound.

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

宀各客

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀miánroof

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 客, 宀 is a roof and 各 gives the sound; the character meant a guest.

Appears in