Taxonomy of meanings for 貴:　　

  • guì (OC: kluds MC: kʷɨi) 居胃切 去 廣韻：【尊也髙也釋名曰貴歸也物所歸仰也説文作䝿亦姓出自陸終之後風俗通有貴遷爲廬江太守居胃切三 】
    • NOBLE
      • nsubjectwhat is noble
      • nabactbeing regarded as noble
      • nabprocessthe state of being noble; the process of becoming noble
      • nabsocialnobility, noble status
      • nabsocialhigh status, honour; nobility
      • v[adN]nonreferentialperson of noble status; nobleman; the noble
      • vadNof high status, elevated; noble
      • vichangerise in status, become more noble; try to become mor noble
      • vigradedbe noble; enjoy high status; hold a high position 最為貴,最貴,至貴
      • vt(oN)causativecause the contextually determinate N to become noble
      • vt+prep+Ngradedbe more precious
      • vtoNattitudinaltreat as noble, attribute nobitlity to through one's actions or words
      • vtoNattitudinalbe treated as noble by
      • vtoNcausativeconfer high honours upon; give high status to, confer high status upon
      • vtoNcausativevalue (oneself)
      • nabfeaturetrue/genuine nobility
      • vt+prep Nbe more noble than NCH
      • vtoNpassivebe recognised as nobleCH
      • nab.adVin terms of nobilityLZ
      • vibe nobleCH
      • vtoNpassive causative: be made nobleLZ
      • nabcausativemaking others rise in statusLZ
      • vt[oN]causativemake others nobleLZ
      • nab[post-N]reflexiveone's own noble statusDS
      • visuperlativebe the noblestCH
      • putative> RESPECT
        • vtoNappreciate and respect
        • vtoNpassivebe held in high esteem; be appreciated and respectedLZ
        • vtoNcausativecause N to be held in high esteem; make N respectableLZ
        • vadNappreciated and respectedLZ
        • declarative> PRAISE
          • vtoNcommend, approve of
      • general> PRECIOUS
        • vadNprecious
        • viof material objects: be precious, be of great status
        • vifigurativebe to be treasured most
        • economic> EXPENSIVE
          • nabconceptexpensiveness, high price levels
          • vadNhigh (price) 貴價
          • vadVat a high price
          • vichangebecome expensive 甚貴
          • vigradedbe expensive 貴甚"very expensive"
          • viexcessivelybe too expensive
          • vpostadVexpensively 鬻貴 "offer for sale at a high price"
          • vtoNdeclarativedeclare to be expensive
          • vtoNputativefind expensive
          • vt+prep+Ngradedbe more expensive than NDS
        • social> IMPORTANT
          • vigradedbe (the most) important 民為貴
          • modal> NEED
            • putative>> APPRECIATE
              • vt(oN)putativeprize the contextually determinate person; hold the contextually determinate N in high esteem
              • vifigurativebe treasured as a non-material asset
              • vt+V[0]putativeset great store by V-ing [Here as often the V in object position is hard to distinguish from an Nab. The criterion for the distintion in general is whether the subject of what we call V has to be the same as that of the vt.]
              • vtoNpassivebe highly esteemed by 貴於
              • vtoNputativefind highly acceptable; hold in high(er) esteem; set great store by, prize highly; regard as very precious
              • vtoNputative.reflex.自have high self-esteem
              • vtoNputativevalue (oneself) highly
              • vt[0]oNsuperlativeexhortatory: one should value most highlyCH
              • vt[oN]passiveputative: be treasured; be prized highlyDS
              • vttoN1.+prep+N2value N1 more highly than N2CH
              • vt(oN)hold the contextually determinate N in high esteemLZ
              • comparative> PREFER
                • vtoNtreat as the most valuable> opt for, prefer as bestCH
                • emotional> DESIRE
                    • future> HOPE
                      • vt+V[0]hope very much to V, really intend to
        • grammaticalised: honorific> YOU
          • vadN[.post-npro2]your precious, your distinguished
        • RULERS OF ZHOU
          • NPprhumanSTANDARD NAME: King Jǐng of the Zhōu (reigned 544 - 520)ALTERNATIVE NAMES:Guì 貴 PARENTS: Son of >ZhōuLíng wáng周靈王 WIVES:?CHILDREN: Father of >ZhōuJìng wáng周敬王

        Additional information about 貴

        說文解字:

          Criteria
        • CHEAP

          1. The dominant word is jiàn 賤 (ant. guì 貴 "expensive"), which describes something as low in quality and therefore also in price.

          2. Qīng 輕 (ant. zhòng 重 "expensive") is an economic technical term for something being low in price.

        • DESPISE

          1. The most widely used general word for contempt is qīng 輕 (ant. zhòng 重 "rate as important"), and the word typically describes an attitude based on a critical judgment. See also UNIMPORTANT

          2. Yì 易 (ant. zhòng 重 "treat as important") focusses on the subjective failure to take someone or something seriously and does not necessarily involve a critical judgment.

          3. Bēi 卑 (ant. zūn 尊 "venerate as distinguished") refers to regarding a person as characterised by his or her low social standing.

          4. Jiàn 賤 (guì 貴 "hold in high esteem" and jìng 敬 "respect") are to regard someone as vulgar, and typically as of slight moral worth.

          5. Hòu 後 (ant. xiān 先 "put first") is to fail to show proper respect for someone.

          6. Xiǎo 小 and shǎo 少 (ant. duō 多 "rate highly") expresses a negative judgment on the significance of a person or thing.

          7. Ào 傲 adds the nuance of arrogance to the notion of contempt.

          8. Miè 蔑 "to regard someone with no respect" describes a purely psychological attitude.

          9.Mà4n 慢 refers to a demonstrative failure to show proper respect for someone.

          10. Dú 瀆 refers to a disrespectful attitude or disregard for someone or something.

        • VULGAR

          1. The most general current word for ordinariness or vulgarity is sú 俗 (ant. yǎ 雅 "elegant"), and the basic parameter of judging something as sú 俗 is relative status in the hierarchy.

          2. Jiàn 賤 (ant. shàn 善 "good" and also, along different lines guì 貴 "noble") refers 1. to noble status and 2. very negatively to a person or a piece of behaviour as not conforming to any demands set by nobility of purpose or status. Lòu 陋 (ant. huá 華 "elaborate and cultivated") refers to vulgarity as a negative feature of places (streets) or behaviour.

          3. Bǐ 鄙 (ant. chóng 崇 "elevated") refers to rusticity and lack cultural polish typical of a person from outlying regions, a country bumpkin.

          4. Yě 野 (ant. wén 文 "properly educacted, civilised") refers to true country style without necessarily strong negative connotations, but with clear overtones of condescension.

          5. Zhòng 眾 (ant. zhuō 卓 "outstanding") refers to what is characteristically linked to the hoi polloi, the ordinary people at large.

          6. Pǐ fū 匹夫 and bù yī 布衣 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 "gentleman") refer specifically to males of the lower classes or males without public employment.

          7. Pǐ fù 匹婦 refers specifically to the wife of a person without public employment.

        • APPRECIATE

          [ABSOLUTE/GRADED]

          [EMOTIONAL/UNEMOTIONAL]

          [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

          [HIGH-DEGREE/LOW-DEGREE]

          [POETIC/PROSAIC]

          1. Guì 貴 is the most general word for appreciating the importance which is inherent in something, and the word is comparative in nuance.

          [GRADED], [GENERAL], [UNEMOTIONAL]

          2. Zhēn 珍 is an elevated word referring to very intense appreciation or prizing of something as invaluable and as being of more than purely material value.

          [EMOTIONAL], [HIGH-DEGREE], [POETIC]

          3. Bǎo 寶 refers to the treasuring of something as something that one has, keeps as a treasure, and is loath to lose.

          [EMOTIONAL], [HIGH-DEGREE]

        • PRECIOUS

          1. The current general word for objective preciousness and real high value and importance is bǎo 寶 (ant. zhuì 贅 "trifles"), and this word often has abstract figurative meanings "what one treasures as most important in one's life".

          2. Guì 貴 (ant. jiàn 賤 "cheap") refers to something precious and expensive, and the idea is always that this things are publicly recognised as precious.

          3. Zhēn 珍 (ant. yōng 庸 "perfectly ordinary") is always concrete when nominal and refers to preciousness with strong overtones of exquisite and exlusive distinction of the object concerned, and there often is a touch of the subjective. Hence the common combination zhēn guài 珍怪 "precious and exotic things", and the derived meaning of "culinary delicacies".

        • NOBLE

          [ABSOLUTE/GRADED]

          [BASIC/MARGINAL]

          [ELEVATED/FAMILIAR]

          [HIGH-DEGREE/LOW-DEGREE]

          [OBJECTIVE/SUBJECTIVE]

          [OFFICIAL/INOFFICIAL]

          [PRIVATE/PUBLIC]

          1. Zūn 尊 (ant. bēi 卑 "lowly, vulgar") is the current word for publicly recognised objective nobility and high status, and the word refers to objective social status in society.

          [ELEVATED], [GRADED], [HIGH-DEGREE], [OBJECTIVE], [PUBLIC], [SOCIAL]

          2. Guì 貴 (ant. jiàn 賤 "of low character") adds to the notion of high social status that of subjectively appreciated nobility of character.

          [GRADED], [HIGH-DEGREE], [PERSONAL], [PUBLIC], [SUBJECTIVE]

          3. Gāo 高 (ant. xià 下 "of lowly status") refers to objective high position in a hierarchy.

          [OBJECTIVE], [PUBLIC], [HIGH-DEGREE]

          4. Shàng 尚 (ant. bǐ 鄙 "of vulgar status") adds to the notion of objective high position in a hierarchy the subjectively appreciated feature of admirability

          [MARGINAL], [SUBJECTIVE]

          5. Shàng 上 (ant. xià 下 "of lower status") refers occasionally to (comparative) seniority in a hierarchy.

          [HIGH-DEGREE], [OBJECTIVE], [OFFICIAL], [PUBLIC]

          6. Yòu 右 (ant. zuǒ 左 "be of relatively lower status") can occasionally refer to relative seniority within the bureaucracy.

          [GRADED], [OBJECTIVE], [OFFICIAL], [PUBLIC]

        • HUMBLE

          1. The current general word for objective low social status without any connotation concerning moral worth is bēi 卑 (ant. zūn 尊 "objectively venerable by social standards").

          2. Jiàn 賤 (ant. 貴 "objectively of high standard, but also personally and subjectively judged to deserve this high status") typically adds to the notion of objectively judged low status that of subjectively appreciated moral decrepitude.

          3. Xiǎo 小 and shào 少 (all ant. zhǎng 長 "senior") refers to relatively junior status in the bureaucratic hierarchy.

          4. Xià 下 refers to low status in absolute terms.

          5. Wēi 微 refers to a person being of low status so as to be of no substantial political or social importance. See UNIMPORTANT

          NB: One's rank wèi 位 may be said to be zūn 尊 "elevated" or bēi 卑 "lowly", but one's status as such could never be jiàn 賤.

        • EXPENSIVE

          1. The dominant standard word for the high price of anything is guì 貴 (ant. jiàn 賤 "inexpensive").

          2. Zhòng 重 is a technical economic term referring to a high level of prices.

          Word relations
        • Ant: (NOBLE)虜/SLAVE
        • Ant: (EXPENSIVE)賤/CHEAP The dominant word is jiàn 賤 (ant. guì 貴 "expensive"), which describes something as low in quality and therefore also in price.
        • Ant: (NOBLE)賤/HUMBLE Jiàn 賤 (ant. 貴 "objectively of high standard, but also personally and subjectively judged to deserve this high status") typically adds to the notion of objectively judged low status that of subjectively appreciated moral decrepitude.
        • Ant: (APPRECIATE)易/DESPISE Yì 易 (ant. zhòng 重 "treat as important") focusses on the subjective failure to take someone or something seriously and does not necessarily involve a critical judgment.
        • Object: (NOBLE)阿/FLATTER E! 阿is vulgar one-sided pandering to the tastes or ideas of superiors in words and also in action, and the word refers also to other forms of partiality and favouritism and is thus more general in application than the other words in the group.
        • Contrast: (APPRECIATE)愛/LOVE The clearly dominant word referring to love is ài 愛 (ant. hèn 恨 "dislike"; rarely zēng 憎 "dislike"; and wù 惡 "hate"), and this word refers both to the feelings of love and to the expression of love in loving care for another person as well as in sexual relations. (Occasionally, the word may refer to the emotional preference that a small child feels for its parents. For this meaning see PREFER.)
        • Contrast: (NOBLE)美 / 媄 / 媺/BEAUTIFUL The general word is měi 美 "handsome and admirable" (ant. è 惡 "ugly") which refers to anything concrete or abstract which is attractive or handsome in a dignified way, and the word often retains its primary culinary sense of "tasty". [GENERAL], [GRADED]; [[COMMON]]
        • Contrast: (APPRECIATE)愛/LOVE The clearly dominant word referring to love is ài 愛 (ant. hèn 恨 "dislike"; rarely zēng 憎 "dislike"; and wù 惡 "hate"), and this word refers both to the feelings of love and to the expression of love in loving care for another person as well as in sexual relations. (Occasionally, the word may refer to the emotional preference that a small child feels for its parents. For this meaning see PREFER.)
        • Contrast: (NOBLE)重/IMPORTANT Zhòng 重 (ant. qīng 輕"of no consequence") focusses on what carries considerable weight in a certain context.
        • Contrast: (NOBLE)尊/NOBLE Zūn 尊 (ant. bēi 卑 "lowly, vulgar") is the current word for publicly recognised objective nobility and high status, and the word refers to objective social status in society. [ELEVATED], [HIGH-DEGREE], [OBJECTIVE], [PUBLIC], [SOCIAL]
        • Contrast: (NOBLE)富/RICH The general word for wealth is fù 富 (ant. pín 貧 "poor"), and the word has a remarkably wide range of syntactic roles.
        • Assoc: (NOBLE)富/RICH The general word for wealth is fù 富 (ant. pín 貧 "poor"), and the word has a remarkably wide range of syntactic roles.
        • Assoc: (NOBLE)尊/NOBLE Zūn 尊 (ant. bēi 卑 "lowly, vulgar") is the current word for publicly recognised objective nobility and high status, and the word refers to objective social status in society. [ELEVATED], [HIGH-DEGREE], [OBJECTIVE], [PUBLIC], [SOCIAL]