Usage patterns 高こう 貴き な 〈 人ひと 〉 a noble/high-born person
It was a ball attended by noble people.
高こう 貴き な 生う まれ of noble birth
He was an aristocrat of noble birth.
高こう 貴き な 身み 分ぶん a noble status or rank
A woman of noble rank visited the castle.
高こう 貴き な 精せい 神しん a noble spirit
Her noble spirit moved many people.
高こう 貴き な 色いろ a noble color (e.g. purple)
Purple has long been regarded as a noble color.
高こう 貴き な 香かお り an exquisite, refined fragrance
This incense has an exquisite fragrance.
Related words· 9 貴族 is a noun referring to the aristocratic class itself, while 高貴 is a na-adjective describing the quality of being noble or exalted.
尊い emphasizes something as precious or worthy of reverence, such as life or sacrifice, while 高貴 focuses on noble rank or refined character.
気高い describes an inner dignity or lofty spirit visible in someone's bearing, while 高貴 more often points to social rank or the innate refinement tied to it.
上品 means elegant or refined in a general, everyday sense, whereas 高貴 implies a higher, more formal level of nobility or dignity.
Show 5 more Show fewer 高尚 describes elevated, sophisticated thought or taste, while 高貴 centers on noble character or birth rather than intellectual refinement.
貴重 simply means precious or valuable, while 高貴 in this sense adds a nuance of refined luxury beyond mere rarity.
高貴 is a more formal, Sino-Japanese word directly tied to high rank or noble birth, while ノーブル is a katakana word often used more loosely to praise a refined, dignified impression.
高貴 stresses noble birth or moral elevation, whereas 富貴 pairs material riches with social standing.
高貴 describes nobility or moral/aesthetic dignity, whereas 高位 refers concretely to a person's high rank or position.
Opposites 卑しい means lowly, vulgar, or base in status or character, the direct opposite of 高貴 's noble connotation.
下品 means vulgar or crude in manner, contrasting with the refined dignity implied by 高貴 .
Don't confuse with 高価 simply means expensive in price, while 高貴 (in its 'precious' sense) implies refined, noble quality beyond mere cost, and the two are easily confused since both begin with 高 .
Written forms 高こう 貴き Usage 99%
Standard kanji spelling; used in news and formal contexts.
こうき Usage 1%
Etymology Compound of 高 (high) and 貴 (precious, noble). The combination has been used since classical Chinese to denote high rank and preciousness.
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