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贵重 (guì zhòng) — precious, valuable

Definition

贵重 highlights the HIGH MONETARY VALUE of an object (jewelry, gifts, equipment) — close to 珍贵 ('rare and precious'). Use 昂贵 for everyday things that are just expensive.

adjective
preciousvaluable

Examples

  • 贵重，。
    Zhè tái jī qì hěn guì zhòng, xū yào xiǎo xīn shǐ yòng.
    This machine is very valuable; it needs to be used carefully.
  • 贵重。
    Tā sòng le wǒ yí jiàn guì zhòng de lǐ wù.
    He gave me a precious gift.
  • 贵重。
    Jiàn kāng bǐ rèn hé cái fù dōu guì zhòng.
    Health is more precious than any wealth.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

贵guìprecious
重zhòngweighty

贵 means precious or expensive, and 重 means weighty or important; together they convey precious value.

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 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Good & Bad

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