贵干 (guì gān) — (formal expression) What brings you here?; May…

Definition

贵干 is a formal set phrase used to politely ask a visitor 'what business brings you here?' — a deferential, written/formal register, not for everyday conversation.

idiom

(formal expression) What brings you here?May I help you?

Examples

贵干？
Nín yǒu hé guì gān?
What brings you here, sir?
贵干？
Qǐng wèn nín jīn rì yǒu hé guì gān?
May I ask what business you have today?
，贵干？
Dà rén, bù zhī nín yǒu hé guì gān?
Your Honor, may I ask why you have come?

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.

贵guìesteemed

干gānbusiness

“贵” means esteemed and “干” means business or matter, together asking what brings someone.

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 貴; 贵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèimoney cowrie

Sound part声符shēngfú

臾

臾yú貴guì

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

The traditional form 貴 uses 貝, a money cowrie, for meaning and 臾 for sound. The simplified 贵 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the old parts.

Open 贵 →

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

乙乙yǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

倝

倝gàn乾gān

Same sound today

Open 干 →

Appears in