also: きにん · あてびと · うまひと
aristocrat; noble; dignitary; person of high rank
Refers to a person of noble birth or high social standing. Can be used in historical contexts or formal descriptions.
That nobleman owned many territories.
He behaves as if he were an aristocrat.
貴人 refers to a person of noble or high rank, the direct opposite of a 徒人, who holds no title or status.
Standard kanji spelling. The reading きじん is the most common modern pronunciation.
Alternate reading, less common than きじん. May be encountered in older texts.
Obsolete kana usage. Historical reading for 貴人, not used in modern Japanese.
Obsolete kana usage. Historical reading for 貴人, not used in modern Japanese.
Compound of 貴 (ki, 'noble') + 人 (jin/hito, 'person'). The reading きじん is the standard on'yomi combination. The alternate reading きにん uses the go-on for 人, while あてびと and うまひと are native Japanese readings (kun'yomi) that have become obsolete.