貴

The core semantic root is "value," manifesting across three primary axes:

• Economic: Expensive, costly, high-priced.
• Social/Hierarchical: Noble, exalted, of high rank; denoting the aristocracy when referring to people.
• Abstract/Evaluative: Precious, esteemed, highly prized.

• Adjective: Modifying a noun (e.g., an expensive object or noble person).
• Noun: Referring to the nobility as a class or a specific high-ranking individual.
• Verb/Predicate: To value, prize, or hold in high esteem.

Frequently appears in opposition to 賤 (base, cheap, low-born). Depending on context, this pair functions as either "expensive/cheap" (economic) or "noble/base" (social).

• Evolution: In early texts, the glyph typically refers to material rarity or actual social rank. In later periods, usage shifts toward honorifics and performative etiquette (e.g., used as a polite marker for another's family or name regardless of literal rank).
• Variants: Simplified variant U+8D35.

There is significant semantic fluidity between material value and social status, as both are expressions of "rarity" and "worth." When determining the translation, consider the object of the glyph:

• Object → Costly / Valuable.
• Person → Noble / High-ranking.
• Abstract/Action → Esteemed / Prized.