gùkè

gùkè (顾客) is a Chinese term referring to a person who purchases goods or uses services from a business; in English, it is commonly translated as "customer" or "patron." The word is widely used in retail, hospitality, and service industries to denote the people a company serves. It emphasizes the consumer side of the commercial relationship and is suitable for everyday and public-facing contexts.

In Chinese business language, 顾客 is often contrasted with 客户 (kèhù). 客户 tends to be more formal and is frequently used in business-to-business contexts or for ongoing client relationships, while 顾客 is common in consumer-facing settings and emphasizes a purchaser or guest within a shopping or service environment. Both terms can coexist, but their usage can reflect the nature of the relationship and the tone of communication.

Common expressions related to 顾客 include 顾客至上 (the customer is paramount), 以顾客为中心 (customer-centric), 顾客体验 (customer experience), and 顾客满意度 (customer satisfaction). Modern usage also intersects with concepts such as customer relationship management (CRM) and data privacy, where protecting 顾客信息 is increasingly prioritized in business practices. In everyday language, 顾客 can refer to anyone who visits a store or requests a service, from a casual shopper to a transient guest in a restaurant or hotel.