座上客 (zuò shàng kè) — guest of honor, honored guest

Definition

A formal, literary term for the most honored guest at a banquet or gathering — stronger and more ceremonial than a simple 客人.

noun
guest of honorhonored guest
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • ，座上客。
    Jīn wǎn de yàn huì shàng, tā shì zuì zhòng yào de zuò shàng kè.
    At tonight's banquet, he is the most important guest of honor.
  • 座上客。
    Zhè wèi lǎo jiào shòu chéng le wǒ men jiā de cháng kè hé zuò shàng kè.
    This old professor has become a regular and honored guest at our home.
  • ，座上客。
    Zài xīn shū fā bù huì shàng, zuò zhě shì dāng zhī wú kuì de zuò shàng kè.
    At the new book launch, the author was the well-deserved guest of honor.

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.

座上on the seat
座zuòseat上shàngon
偏正Modifier + head
客kèguest

座 is the seat, 上 locates something on it, and 客 is the guest honored there.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎnghouse on cliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
坐
坐zuò座zuò
Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Open 座 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè客kè
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.

Open 客 →

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