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过客 (guò kè) — passerby, transient visitor; someone who passes through briefly (often used metaphorically)

Definition

Literally 'passing guest,' a poetic metaphor for someone who comes and goes briefly in your life — strangers, exes, anyone who doesn't stay. Highlights impermanence, not a literal pedestrian.

noun
passerbytransient visitorsomeone who passes through briefly (often used metaphorically)

Examples

  • 过客。
    Tā jué de zì jǐ zhǐ shì tā shēng mìng zhōng de yí gè guò kè.
    He felt he was just a passing figure in her life.
  • ，过客。
    Rén shēng jiù xiàng yì chǎng lǚ xíng, hěn duō rén dōu shì guò kè.
    Life is like a journey; many people are just passersby.
  • 过客。
    Bú yào wèi le yí gè guò kè ér shāng xīn.
    Don't be sad over a transient visitor.

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.

过guòpass
客kèguest/traveler

A 客 who 过, a passing guest rather than a resident.

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 過; 过 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
咼
咼wāi過guò
Same sound today

The traditional form 過 pairs 辵 (walk) with 咼 as a sound component; the simplified 过 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 过 →

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
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