客从何处来

客從何處來

kècónghéchùlái

phrase

Meanings

1 where has the guest come from?
2 'where are you from, stranger?' — a classical opening question

Characters

Examples

老人笑着问：客从何处来？仿佛念起了贺知章的诗。

Lǎorén xiào zhe wèn: kè cóng hé chù lái? Fǎngfú niàn qǐ le Hè Zhīzhāng de shī.

The old man smiled and asked 'where does the guest come from?' — as if reciting He Zhizhang's poem.

电视节目《客从何处来》就是借这句古诗做名。

Diànshì jiémù 《Kè Cóng Hé Chù Lái》 jiù shì jiè zhè jù gǔshī zuò míng.

The TV show 'Where Does the Guest Come From?' takes its name from this old verse.

Tips

history

From 贺知章 He Zhizhang 《回乡偶书》: 儿童相见不相识，笑问客从何处来 — 'the children see me but don't know me, and laughing ask, where has the guest come from?' He Zhizhang had returned home after 50 years away.

usage

处 here is chù (place). Usually quoted with the preceding 笑问 — see the separate entry 笑问客从何处来 for the fuller line. CCTV's documentary 《客从何处来》 (2014-) is named after this.

Stroke Order

客 kè

从 cóng

何 hé

处 chù

来 lái