gwai3 ban1貴賓贵宾
Jyutpinggwai3 ban1
Yalegwai bān
Definition
Honoured guest; VIP.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Used primarily in formal settings like business events, weddings, or high-end service industries to show extreme respect. While it literally means noble guest, it is often employed by staff in restaurants or hotels to make customers feel valued and special. It carries a much more formal and distant tone compared to simply calling someone a friend or visitor.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
There are many honoured guests attending tonight, everyone needs to be sharp.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe friends or family in casual settings, as it sounds overly formal, sarcastic, or distant. Using it with people you know well can make the atmosphere feel stiff or awkward.
Grammar color guide
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
