客从何处来

客從何處來

kè cóng hé chù lái

quotation

Meanings

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

Characters

Examples

HSK 5

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.

HSK 5

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 》 jiùshì 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's 《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 chǔ

来 lái