kèrén: 客人 - Guest, Customer, Visitor

• Keywords: keren Chinese, what does keren mean, Chinese word for guest, Chinese for customer, 客人, kèrén, visitor in Chinese, host and guest in Chinese, hospitality in China.
• Summary: “Kèrén” (客人) is a fundamental Chinese noun for a beginner to learn, meaning both “guest” (in a home) and “customer” (in a business). This dual meaning reflects the deep cultural value of hospitality in China, where treating any visitor—whether a friend in your living room or a patron in your shop—with respect and generosity is paramount. This page explores the meaning of 客人, its cultural significance, and its practical use in modern conversation, helping you understand how to be a good host or a polite customer in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kèrén
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: A person who is a guest, visitor, or customer.
• In a Nutshell: `客人` is a versatile and essential word that covers anyone being received by a host or a business. Think of it as the counterpart to the `主人` (zhǔrén), or “host/owner.” Whether you have friends over for dinner or you're serving patrons in a restaurant, those people are your `客人`. It's a polite, standard term used in a wide range of social and commercial situations.

• 客 (kè): This character means “guest,” “visitor,” or “customer.” It's a phono-semantic compound. The top part is the “roof” radical (宀), suggesting a building or home. The bottom part (各 gè) provides the sound and originally depicted a person arriving. Together, it paints a picture of a visitor arriving at a dwelling.
• 人 (rén): This character simply means “person” or “people.” It's one of the simplest and most common characters, a pictogram of a walking person.
• Combined Meaning: The combination is very direct: `客 (kè)` + `人 (rén)` literally means “guest person.” The `人` clarifies that `客` is referring to a person, forming a solid and unambiguous noun.

In Chinese culture, the concept of a `客人` is tied to the profound value of hospitality (`好客`, hàokè). Treating a guest well is not just a matter of politeness; it is a direct reflection of the host's (`主人`, zhǔrén) character, generosity, and social standing, or “face” (`面子`, miànzi). A key difference from much of Western culture is the level of obligation a host feels toward a `客人`. While a casual “potluck” or “BYOB” (Bring Your Own Bottle) is common in the West, this is almost unheard of in traditional Chinese hosting. A Chinese host will typically provide an overabundance of food and drink to ensure the guest feels completely taken care of and honored. The `客人`, in turn, is expected to be gracious, accept the hospitality, and often bring a small gift. This principle extends from the home to business. A shopkeeper views a patron as a `客人`, a guest of their establishment. This mindset fosters a service culture built on respect and attentiveness, where making the “guest” feel welcome is essential for a good business reputation. The line between a social guest and a commercial customer is blurred by this unifying term, emphasizing a cultural priority on respectful human interaction in all spheres.

`客人` is used frequently in daily life. Its meaning is almost always clear from the context.

• In a Social Setting: When you have people over at your house for dinner, a party, or even just for a visit, they are your `客人`. You might tell your child, “Be polite to the guests” (`对客人要有礼貌`, Duì kèrén yào yǒu lǐmào).
• In a Commercial Setting: In a restaurant, shop, or hotel, the staff will refer to customers as `客人`. A waiter might say, “Welcome, esteemed guests!” (`欢迎光临，各位客人！`, Huānyíng guānglín, gèwèi kèrén!). It's a standard, polite way to address customers. While `顾客 (gùkè)` is also used, `客人` often feels a little warmer and more personal.
• Formality & Connotation: `客人` is a neutral to positive term. It is the standard, all-purpose word and is appropriate in both formal and informal situations.

• Example 1:
  • 我们家今天有客人，所以妈妈准备了很多菜。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jiā jīntiān yǒu kèrén, suǒyǐ māma zhǔnbèi le hěn duō cài.
  • English: We have guests at home today, so mom prepared a lot of dishes.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of `客人` in a social, home-based context. The sentence highlights the cultural expectation of providing abundant food for guests.
• Example 2:
  • 服务员，请问今天的客人多吗？
  • Pinyin: Fúwùyuán, qǐngwèn jīntiān de kèrén duō ma?
  • English: Waiter, are there a lot of customers today?
  • Analysis: Here, `客人` clearly means “customers” in a commercial (restaurant) setting.
• Example 3:
  • 对不起，我是这里的客人，我也找不到洗手间。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, wǒ shì zhèlǐ de kèrén, wǒ yě zhǎo bu dào xǐshǒujiān.
  • English: Sorry, I'm a guest/customer here too, I also can't find the restroom.
  • Analysis: This shows how a customer or visitor would self-identify as a `客人` when speaking to someone else in the same establishment.
• Example 4:
  • 作为主人，你应该好好招待你的客人。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi zhǔrén, nǐ yīnggāi hǎohǎo zhāodài nǐ de kèrén.
  • English: As the host, you should entertain your guests well.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly links the host (`主人`) with their responsibility to the guest (`客人`), a core cultural concept.
• Example 5:
  • 酒店前台正在为客人办理入住。
  • Pinyin: Jiǔdiàn qiántái zhèngzài wèi kèrén bànlǐ rùzhù.
  • English: The hotel front desk is checking in the guests.
  • Analysis: A common and practical use of `客人` in the hospitality industry.
• Example 6:
  • 老板告诉我们要对每一位客人微笑。
  • Pinyin: Lǎobǎn gàosu wǒmen yào duì měi yí wèi kèrén wēixiào.
  • English: The boss told us to smile at every customer.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of `客人` in a customer service context. The measure word for people, `位 (wèi)`, is often used with `客人` to show politeness.
• Example 7:
  • 你什么时候有空？我想请你来我家做客。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shénme shíhou yǒu kòng? Wǒ xiǎng qǐng nǐ lái wǒ jiā zuò kè.
  • English: When are you free? I'd like to invite you to my home as a guest.
  • Analysis: This example uses a related verb form, `做客 (zuò kè)`, which means “to be a guest.” Note that `人` is dropped here.
• Example 8:
  • 楼下太吵了，好像有客人来了。
  • Pinyin: Lóuxià tài chǎo le, hǎoxiàng yǒu kèrén lái le.
  • English: It's too noisy downstairs, it seems like guests have arrived.
  • Analysis: A simple, conversational sentence that one might use at home.
• Example 9:
  • 虽然他是客人，但他的要求太多了。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán tā shì kèrén, dàn tā de yāoqiú tài duō le.
  • English: Although he is a guest, he makes too many demands.
  • Analysis: This shows a slightly negative context, where the status of `客人` is acknowledged but the person's behavior is being criticized.
• Example 10:
  • 这家店的老客人很多。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā diàn de lǎo kèrén hěn duō.
  • English: This shop has many regular customers.
  • Analysis: Adding `老 (lǎo - old)` before `客人` creates the term “regular customer,” someone who has been a patron for a long time.

A common point of confusion for English speakers is when to use `客人` versus more specific terms like `顾客` or `客户`.

• `客人` (kèrén) vs. `顾客` (gùkè):
  • `客人` is broad: It means both “guest” (social) and “customer” (commercial). It often has a warmer, more personal feel.
  • `顾客` (gùkè) is specific: It ONLY means “customer,” “shopper,” or “patron.” It is used exclusively in commercial contexts and can sound slightly more formal or transactional than `客人`.
  • Mistake: You can call a customer in your store either a `客人` or a `顾客`. However, you would never call a friend visiting your home a `顾客`.
  • Example of incorrect usage: `今天我家里来了三个顾客。` (Jīntiān wǒ jiālǐ lái le sān ge gùkè.) → This is wrong. It should be: `今天我家里来了三个客人。`
• `客人` (kèrén) vs. `客户` (kèhù):
  • `客户` (kèhù) means “client.” It implies a more formal, long-term, or service-based business relationship. You would have a `客户` at a law firm, an accounting agency, or in a B2B (business-to-business) transaction.
  • You go to a convenience store as a `顾客` or `客人`, but you hire a marketing agency as their `客户`.
  • Mistake: Using `客户` for a casual shopper. Asking a random person in a supermarket “您是我们的客户吗？” (Nín shì wǒmen de kèhù ma?) would sound overly formal and strange. `您是这里的客人吗？` (Nín shì zhèlǐ de kèrén ma?) is much more natural.

• 主人 (zhǔrén) - The direct antonym: “host” or “owner.” The one who receives the `客人`.
• 顾客 (gùkè) - A more specific term for “customer” or “patron,” used only in commercial contexts.
• 客户 (kèhù) - A more formal term for “client,” implying a professional or long-term business relationship.
• 好客 (hàokè) - A key cultural value; the quality of being “hospitable.”
• 客厅 (kètīng) - The “living room” or “parlor,” its literal meaning is “guest hall.”
• 请客 (qǐng kè) - A verb meaning “to treat someone” (to a meal, movie, etc.), literally “to invite a guest.”
• 做客 (zuò kè) - A verb meaning “to be a guest” at someone's home.
• 游客 (yóukè) - A more specific term for “tourist” or “sightseer.”
• 访客 (fǎngkè) - A more formal synonym for “visitor,” often used in official or institutional contexts (e.g., a visitor to an office building).