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游客 (yóu kè) — tourist; traveler; (online gaming) guest player

Definition

游客 is a tourist / sightseer — someone visiting a place for fun. Versus 客人 (guest/visitor at a home or business), 游客 is specifically out sightseeing.

noun
touristtraveler(online gaming) guest player
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 游客。
    Gōng yuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō yóu kè.
    There are many tourists in the park.
  • 游客。
    Zhè xiē yóu kè lái zì bù tóng de guó jiā.
    These tourists come from different countries.
  • 游客。
    Zhè ge yóu xì yǔn xǔ yóu kè miǎn fèi wán.
    This game allows guest players to play for free.

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.

游yóutravel
客kèguest

游 and 客 combine: a guest who travels, hence a tourist or traveler.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
斿
斿yóu游yóu
Same sound today

游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.

Open 游 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3Travel & Tourism

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