贵
guì · HSK 1
expensive
💎 sounds like 'gway' — what a precious vase costs
贵 (guì) means expensive or highly valued. The top 中 resembles a basket of goods over 贝 (shell/money) at the bottom — goods piled on cash. Also used honorifically: 贵姓 asks someone's (esteemed) surname.
贵 — shell 贝 (money) + 中 (middle/basket)
贵 originally depicted hands holding a basket of cowrie shells (贝), which served as ancient Chinese currency. The shell radical 贝 signals connection to wealth and value. Over time it came to mean 'expensive,' 'valuable,' and by extension 'noble' or 'honored.'
guì · HSK 2
expensive
💰 sounds like 'gooey' — gooey gold is expensive
贵 (guì) means expensive or valuable. The top component 中 sits over 贝 (shell/money), and shells were ancient currency — so the character literally pairs something prized with money.
贵 — shell 贝 (money) + 中 (middle/basket)
贵 originally depicted hands holding a basket of cowrie shells (贝), which served as ancient Chinese currency. The shell radical 贝 signals connection to wealth and value. Over time it came to mean 'expensive,' 'valuable,' and by extension 'noble' or 'honored.'