笑问客从何处来

笑問客從何處來
xiào wèn kè cóng hé chù lái
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 smiling, they ask where the guest has come from
  2. 2 the bittersweet moment of returning home a stranger

Examples

HSK 6
Zhèzhǒng xiàowènkècónghéchùlái de gǎnjué, hǎiwài yóuzǐ dōu dǒng.
Every overseas Chinese understands that feeling of 'being asked as a stranger where one is from.'
HSK 7-9
Duōnián wèi guī, cūnkǒu de xiǎohái xiàowènkècónghéchùlái.
Not having returned in years, the village children smiled and asked where the visitor was from.

Tips

history
From 贺知章 《回乡偶书》: 儿童相见不相识笑问客从何处来 - 'the children meet me but don't recognize me, and smiling ask where the guest has come from.' He Zhizhang came home after more than 50 years in the capital.
usage
here is chù (place). This is the full second line; see also the shorter 客从何处来. Almost always comes after 儿童相见不相识.

Stroke Order

xiào
wèn
cóng
chǔ
lái