Chinese honorifics
Chinese honorifics are words and phrases that indicate social respect or deference in the spoken or written language. Especially before the twentieth century, the language used among friends would be very different from that used among strangers such as merchants. Although most Chinese honorifics have fallen out of street use since the end of Imperial China, they can still be understood, and indeed occasionally used, by most contemporary Chinese speakers. This is partly attributable to the popularity of Chinese historical novels and television dramas, which often employ language from the classical periods. In general, language referring to oneself exhibits self-deprecating humbleness, while language referring to others shows approval and respect. Honorific language in Chinese was often achieved by using honorific alternatives, prefixing or suffixing a word with a polite complement, or simply by dropping casual-sounding words.
Example
你 姓 什么 ？- "What family name do you have?"
The sentence above is a perfectly acceptable question when addressing others of equal or lower status. In normal conversation, the extent of making it more polite might be to preface it with a 请 (qǐng, "please"), accommodated by a 问 (wèn, "ask") as it is a question. However, if the addressee is of higher status or the person asking the question wants to show more respect, several changes may occur:
- The sentence begins with 请 (lit. "invite", "request")
- The sentence includes the interrogative verb 問 or 问 (wèn, "ask") to accommodate this more formal sense of qǐng
- The regular second-person pronoun 你 (nǐ, "you") is replaced by the honorific second-person pronoun 您 (nín, "you" [cherished])
- The honorific adjective or prefix 貴 or 贵 (guì, lit. "expensive", "valuable") is added before 姓 (xìng, "last name") to compliment the addressee
- The interrogative pronoun 甚麼 or 什么 (shénme, "what") is dropped entirely as the structure of the sentence changes
The resulting sentence
请 问 您 贵姓 ？- "May I (respectfully) request to ask you, whom I cherish, for your honorable surname?"
is much more polite and more commonly used among people in formal or careful situations.
Below is a collection of some of the better known honorifics and polite prefixes and suffixes that have been used at one time or another in the Chinese lexicon. Pronunciations given are those of today's Mandarin Chinese. Note that many of these terms became obsolete after the end of the Qing dynasty or were deprecated during the Cultural Revolution and are no longer used.
Referring to oneself
When referring to oneself, the first-person pronoun was to be avoided in most situations. Persons of lower status—including slaves, children, and youths—were not to use it when speaking to those of higher status, while those of higher status—including lords, parents, and elders—frequently avoided it as a display of humility and virtue. Instead, a third-person descriptor was used, which varied according to the situation.
Referring to oneself in the third-person could be used arrogantly as well, to assert one's superiority or even dominance over one's audience. This was most common in the imperial middle management – the imperial consorts, the army, and the imperial bureaucracy – with the emperor instead often describing himself in sorrowful terms out of respect for his deceased father.
Commoners and the humble
| Traditional Chinese | Old Chinese[1] | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 愚 | 愚 | yú | This unintelligent one | ||
| 鄙 | *prəʔ | 鄙 | bǐ | This lowly/unlearned one | |
| 敝 | *bet-s | 敝 | bì | This unkempt/ragged one | |
| 卑 | *pe | 卑 | bēi | This inferior one | |
| 竊 | *tsʰˤet | 窃 | qiè | This thief | Employed as an apology when appearing without advanced notice |
| 僕 | *bˤok | 仆 | pú | This servant (male) | Literally, "charioteer"[1] |
| 婢 | *beʔ | 婢 | bì | This servant (female) | |
| 妾 | *tsʰap | 妾 | qiè | This consort | |
| 賤妾 | *dzen-stsʰap | 贱妾 | jiànqiè | This worthless consort | |
| 在下 | *dzˤəʔgˤraʔ | 在下 | zàixià | This one who is beneath you | |
| 小人 | *sewʔniŋ | 小人 | xiǎorén | This little man | |
| 小女 | *sewʔnraʔ | 小女 | xiǎonǚ | This little woman | |
| 草民 | *tsʰˤuʔmiŋ | 草民 | cǎomín | This worthless commoner (male) | |
| 民女 | *miŋnraʔ | 民女 | mínnǚ | This common woman | |
| 奴才 | *nˤadzˤə | 奴才 | núcai | This slave (male) | |
| 奴婢 | *nˤabeʔ | 奴婢 | núbì | This slave (female) | |
| 奴家 | *nˤakˤra | 奴家 | nújiā | This slave of your house (wife) |
Emperors, Kings and the imperial family
| Traditional Chinese | Old Chinese[1] | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 孤 | *kʷˤa | 孤 | gū | This orphaned one | Employed by the king out of respect for his father, who usually (though not always) had predeceased him |
| 寡 | *kʷˤraʔ | 寡 | guǎ | This lonesome one | As above |
| 寡人 | *kʷˤraʔniŋ | 寡人 | guǎrén | This lonesome one, or this man of little virtue | As above |
| 不穀 | *pəqˤok | 不谷 | bùgǔ | This grainless one | Employed by the emperor out of modesty regarding his administration (cf. the importance of the Five Grains), particularly compared to his father's rule |
| 予一人 | 予一人 | yüyìrén | I, the solitary one | Employed exclusively by the Pre-Qin kings of China. | |
| 哀家 | *ʔˤəjkˤra | 哀家 | āijiā | This sad house | Employed by the emperor's mother out of respect for her deceased husband |
| 臣妾 | *gintsʰap | 臣妾 | chénqiè | This subject and consort | Employed by the empress and consorts before the emperor |
| 兒臣 | *ŋegin | 儿臣 | ěrchén | This child and subject | Employed by the emperor before the empress dowager and by the imperial family before their parents or the emperor's other consorts |
| 朕 | *lrəmʔ | 朕 | zhèn | I | The original generic first-person pronoun, arrogated to the emperors during the reign of Shi Huangdi |
| 本宮 | 本宫 | běngōng | I, of the palace | Employed by an empress or a high-ranking consort when speaking to a person or an audience of lower rank or status |
Officials and officers
| Traditional Chinese | Old Chinese[1] | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 臣 | *gin | 臣 | chén | This subject | Employed by officials when addressing the emperor, based on a word that originally meant "slave" during the Zhou dynasty.[2] In formal writing, the character was written in half the size of the normal font. |
| 下官 | *gˤraʔkʷˤan | 下官 | xiàguān | This lowly official | Employed by officials when addressing other bureaucrats of higher rank |
| 末官 | *mˤatkʷˤan | 末官 | mòguān | This lesser official | As above. |
| 小吏 | *sewʔrəʔ‑s | 小吏 | xiǎolì | This little clerk | As above. |
| 卑職 | *petək | 卑职 | bēizhí | This inferior office | Employed by officials when addressing their patrons or other bureaucrats of equal rank |
| 末將 | *mˤattsaŋ‑s | 末将 | mòjiàng | This lesser commander | Employed by military officers when addressing other officers of higher rank |
| 本府 | 本府 | běnfǔ | This office | Employed by officials when addressing other bureaucrats of lower rank. Commonly found in fiction. | |
| 本官 | *pˤənʔkʷˤan | 本官 | běnguān | I, the Official | Employed by officials when addressing those of lower status |
| 本帥 | *pˤənʔs‑rut‑s | 本帅 | běnshuài | I, the General | Employed by general officers when addressing their commanders |
| 本將軍 | *pˤənʔtsaŋ‑skʷər | 本将军 | běnjiāngjun | I, the General of the Army | Employed by general officers when addressing their commanders |
Old men and women
| Traditional Chinese | Old Chinese[1] | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 老朽 | *rˤuʔqʰuʔ | 老朽 | lǎoxiǔ | This old and rotting one | |
| 老拙 | *rˤuʔtot | 老拙 | lǎozhuó | This old and clumsy one | |
| 老身 | *rˤuʔn̥iŋ | 老身 | lǎoshēn | This old body | Employed by elderly women |
| 老漢 | *rˤuʔn̥ˤar-s | 老汉 | lǎohàn | This old man | |
| 老夫 | *rˤuʔpa | 老夫 | lǎofū | This old and respected man |
Scholars and monks
| Traditional Chinese | Old Chinese[1] | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 小生 | *sewʔsreŋ | 小生 | xiǎoshēng | This later-born one | Literally "smaller-born" but Chinese uses the idea of "big" and "small" in reference to age – e.g., 你多大? ("How big are you?") is a question about one's age and not about height or weight |
| 晚生 | *morʔsreŋ | 晚生 | wǎnshēng | This later-born one | |
| 晚輩 | 晚辈 | wǎnbèi | This later-born one | Literally "[belonging to a] later generation" | |
| 晚學 | *morʔm‑kˤruk | 晚学 | wǎnxué | This later-taught one | |
| 不才 | *pədzˤə | 不才 | bùcái | This inept one | |
| 不佞 | 不佞 | búnìng | This incapable one | ||
| 不肖 | *pəsew‑s | 不肖 | búxiào | This unequal one | Literally "unlike", but implying the speaker is unequal to the capability and talent of his audience |
| 老衲 | 老衲 | lǎonà | This old and patched one | Employed by monks, in reference to their tattered robes. Used by senior/older monks. | |
| 貧僧 | 贫僧 | pínsēng | This pennyless monk | ||
| 貧尼 | 贫尼 | pínní | This pennyless nun | ||
| 貧道 | *brənkə.lˤuʔ | 贫道 | píndào | This pennyless priest/priestess | Employed by Taoist adepts |
Families
Some of the following are still in use today in various Chinese dialects.
| Traditional Chinese | Old Chinese[1] | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 寒舍 | *ə.gˤanr̥ak-s | 寒舍 | hánshè | This humble abode | Literally "cold lodging-house"; could be used as a metonym for the family itself |
| 愚- | 愚- | yú | These unintelligent... | A prefix used when referring to oneself and another family member: this unintelligent couple (愚夫婦), this unintelligent father and son (愚父子), these unintelligent brothers (愚兄弟), &c. | |
| 家- | *kˤra | 家- | jiā | My house's... | A prefix used when referring to living elder family members: my father (家父), my elder brother (家兄), &c. |
| 先- | *sˤər | 先- | xiān | Deceased... | Literally "first", a prefix used when referring to deceased elder family members: my late father (先父), my late elder brother (先兄), &c. |
| 舍- | *r̥ak-s | 舍- | shě | My place's... | Literally "my lodging-house's", a prefix used when referring to younger family members: my younger brother (舍弟), my younger sister (舍妹), &c. |
| 內- | *nˤəp | 内- | nèi | ...inside | A prefix used when referring to one's wife (内人, 内子, &c.) |
| 拙荊 | *totkreŋ | 拙荆 | zhuōjīng | That/you clumsy thorn | Employed by men to address or refer to their wives |
| 賤內 | *dzen-snˤəp | 贱内 | jiànnèi | That/you worthless one inside | Employed by men to address or refer to their wives |
| 拙夫 | *totpa | 拙夫 | zhuōfū | That clumsy man | Employed by wives to refer to their husbands |
| 犬子 | *kʷʰˤenʔtsəʔ | 犬子 | quǎnzǐ | That/you dog son/child | Employed by parents to address or refer to their sons |
| 小兒 | *sewʔŋe | 小儿 | xiǎo'ér | This little child/son | |
| 小女 | *sewʔnraʔ | 小女 | xiǎonǚ | This little daughter |
Addressing or referring to others
The same concept of hierarchical speech and etiquette affects terms of address towards others as well as oneself. In most cases in modern Chinese, politeness can be expressed by replacing the standard second-person pronoun 你 (nǐ, "you") with its polite form 您 (nǐn, "you" [cherished]).
In a historical context (and in some modern contexts), the audience's title or profession is used in place of the historic second-person pronouns 爾 and 尔 (ěr, "you") or the modern 你. In other cases, there might be specific alternatives to be employed instead. Below are examples of proper substitutes:
Emperors
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 陛下 | 陛下 | bìxià | Your Majesty | Literally means "beneath the ceremonial ramp". The implied context is "Your Majesty, beneath whose ceremonial ramp [I am standing]". It was used by officials when they addressed the emperor directly. |
| 聖上 | 圣上 | shèngshàng | You, the Holy and Exalted One | May be used when addressing the emperor directly or when referring to the emperor in the third person. |
| 聖駕 | 圣驾 | shèngjià | His Majesty | Literally means "holy procession". Used when referring to the emperor in the third person, especially when the emperor was on the move. |
| 天子 | 天子 | tiānzǐ | The Son of Heaven | One of the titles of the emperor. |
| 萬歲 | 万岁 | wànsuì | You, of Ten Thousand Years. | "Ten thousand" is a marker for a large number, much as "million" is used figuratively in English. "Years" here refers specifically to years of age. It may be roughly translated as "Long live the Emperor!". |
| 萬歲爺 | 万岁爷 | wànsuìyé | You, the Lord of Ten Thousand Years | An informal way of addressing the emperor directly. Usually used by the emperor's personal attendants. |
| 龍體 | 龙体 | lóngtǐ | His Majesty's health | Literally means "dragon's body". Referring to the emperor's body or his health. Examples: 龍體欠安 (the Emperor is not feeling well); 龍體無恙 (the Emperor is well) etc. |
| 龍顏 | 龙颜 | lóngyán | His Majesty's feelings | Literally means "dragon's face". Referring to the emperor's mood, emotions, or facial expressions. Examples: 龍顏大悅 (the Emperor is very pleased); 龍顏大怒 (the Emperor is furious) etc. |
Important people
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 殿下 | 殿下 | diànxià | Your Highness | Literally means "beneath your palace". Used when addressing members of the imperial family, such as princes and princesses. |
| 王爺 | 王爷 | wángyé | Your Highness | An informal way of addressing a prince or a vassal king. |
| 爵爺 | 爵爷 | juéyé | My Lord | An informal way of addressing dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons. |
| 麾下 | 麾下 | huīxià | Sir | Literally means "beneath your flag". Used when addressing generals and military officers. |
| 卿 | 卿 | qīng | My subject | Literally means "official". Used by the emperor and members of the imperial family when they address officials. Examples: 愛卿 (my dear subject) etc. |
| 節下 | 节下 | jiéxià | Your Excellency | Literally means "beneath your ceremonial banner". Used when addressing ambassadors from foreign lands. |
| 千歲 | 千岁 | qiānsùi | You, of Thousand Years | Literally "one thousand years", used to address Empresses, Dowagers, Crown Princes and other high-ranking imperials. The Taiping Rebellion also had a particular rank system based on how many "thousand years" a lord is entitled to. |
The following are commonly used today.
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 閣下 | 阁下 | géxià | Literally means "beneath your pavilion". Used when addressing important people, or to show respect to the person. Equivalent to Excellency. | |
| 前輩 | 前辈 | qiánbèi | Literally means "you, who belong to an older generation". Used when addressing an elderly person or someone in the same profession who is more senior than the speaker. | |
| 台端 | 台端 | táiduān | "台" refers to the Three Ducal Ministers, the three highest-ranked officials in the Zhou Dynasty. "端" is the honorific for assisting and advisory officials in the Six Dynasties. It is usually used in formal writing when addressing a person of similar social status. | |
| 同志 | 同志 | tóngzhì | Comrade | Literally means "you, who share the same ambition with me". Used by members of the Nationalist and Communist parties to address fellow members of the same conviction, thus it can translate to "comrade". It is also used by some older citizens in China to address strangers. However, now among the younger and more urban Chinese, "同志" has definite implications of homosexuality (not necessarily in a pejorative way, however, as it has been adopted by the gay community, and thus is more analogous to the English term queer as compared to faggot). |
By titles:
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 先生 | 先生 | xiānshēng | Mr. | |
| 小姐 / 姑娘 | 小姐 / 姑娘 | xiăojiě / gūniang | Ms. | The use of "xiaojie" is taboo in some parts of China as it may refer to prostitutes. In Suzhou, "xiaojie" is substituted with "yatou" (simplified Chinese: 丫头; traditional Chinese: 丫頭; pinyin: yātou), which in turn may be considered offensive in other parts of China because "yatou" also means "dumb girl". |
| 女士 | 女士 | nǚshì | Madam | |
| 夫人 | 夫人 | fūrén | Mrs. | Traditionally, the honorific of the consort of a Pre-Qin state ruler. During the imperial era, it was appropriated for vassals. In modern use, it is appropriate for most females. When a surname is used, the husband's surname precedes this honorific. |
| 博士 | 博士 | bóshì | Dr. | Originally a court scholar. Refers to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) holder. |
| 醫生 | 医生 | yīshēng | Dr. | Refers to a medical doctor. "Daifu" (Chinese: 大夫; pinyin: dàifū) "Yishi" (Chinese: 醫師; pinyin: yīshī) are sometimes used, usually in mainland China and in Taiwan respectively. |
| 經理 | 经理 | jīnglǐ | Manager | |
| 老師 | 老师 | lǎoshī | Teacher | "Laoshi" may sometimes be used as a polite reference to a more highly educated person, who may not necessarily be a teacher. |
| 師父 | 师父 | shīfù | Master | See Sifu for further information. |
| 師傅 | 师傅 | shīfù | Master | See Sifu for further information. |
| 修士 | 修士 | xīushì | Monk (Catholic) | |
| 神父 | 神父 | shénfù | Priest (Catholic); Father | |
| 教宗 | 教宗 | jiàozōng | The Pope (Catholic) | |
| 執士 | 执士 | zhíshì | Deacon (Christian) | |
| 牧師 | 牧师 | mùshī | Pastor (Christian) | |
| 主教 | 主教 | zhǔjiào | Bishop (Christian) | |
| 法師 | 法师 | fǎshī | Monk / Nun (Buddhist) | "Heshang" (Chinese: 和尚; pinyin: héshàng) is also used, either to denote seniority or hierarchy in the monastery. |
| 居士 | 居士 | jūshì | Layman (Buddhist) | |
| 仙姑 | 仙姑 | xiāngū | Priestess (Taoist) | "Daogu" (Chinese: 道姑; pinyin: dàogū) is also used sometimes. |
| 道長 | 道长 | dàozhăng | Priest / Priestess (Taoist) | |
| 爵士 | 爵士 | juéshì | Sir (Knighthood) | |
| 聖 | 圣 | shèng | St. / Sage | Used as a prefix to indicate holiness. May not necessarily be applied to only Catholic saints as a prefix, for example "孔圣" (Kongsheng) (Chinese: 孔聖; pinyin: kǒngshèng), literally means "Saint Confucius" or "Sage Confucius". |
The addressee's family members
The following terms are still in use today:
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 令尊 | 令尊 | lìngzūn | Your father | Literally means "the beautiful and respected one". "Lingzunweng" (Chinese: 令尊翁; pinyin: lìngzūnwēng) is sometimes used. |
| 令堂 | 令堂 | lìngtáng | Your mother | Literally means "the beautiful and dignified one". "Lingshoutang" (simplified Chinese: 令寿堂; traditional Chinese: 令壽堂; pinyin: lìngshòutáng) is sometimes used. |
| 令閫 | 令阃 | lìngkǔn | Your wife | Literally means "the beautiful door to the woman's room". |
| 令兄 | 令兄 | lìngxiōng | Your elder brother | Literally means "the beautiful elder brother". |
| 令郎 | 令郎 | lìngláng | Your son | Literally means "the beautiful young man". "Linggongzi" (Chinese: 令公子; pinyin: lìnggōngzǐ) is sometimes used. |
| 令愛 | 令爱 | lìng'ài | Your daughter | Literally means "the beautiful and beloved one". Another form of "ling'ai" (simplified Chinese: 令嫒; traditional Chinese: 令嬡; pinyin: lìng'ài) is sometimes used. |
| 令千金 | 令千金 | lìngqiānjīn | Your daughter | Literally means "the beautiful one who is worth a thousand gold". |
| 尊上 | 尊上 | zūnshàng | Your father | Literally means "the respected one above". |
| 尊公 | 尊公 | zūngōng | Your father | Literally means "the respected lord". "Zunjun" (Chinese: 尊君; pinyin: zūnjūn) and "zunfu" (Chinese: 尊府; pinyin: zūnfǔ) are sometimes used. |
| 尊堂 | 尊堂 | zūntáng | Your mother | Literally means "the respected and dignified one". |
| 尊親 | 尊亲 | zūnqīn | Your parents | Literally means "the respected and loved ones". |
| 尊駕 | 尊驾 | zūnjià | You, the respected one | Literally means "the respected procession". Used when referring to a guest or a person of higher social status. |
| 賢喬梓 | 贤乔梓 | xiánqiáozǐ | You, the virtuous father and son | |
| 賢伉儷 | 贤伉俪 | xiánkànglì | You, the virtuous husband and wife | |
| 賢昆仲 | 贤昆仲 | xiánkūnzhòng | You, the virtuous brothers | |
| 賢昆玉 | 贤昆玉 | xiánkūnyù | You, the virtuous sisters |
One's own family
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 賢妻 | 贤妻 | xiánqī | You, my virtuous wife | |
| 賢弟 | 贤弟 | xiándì | You, my virtuous younger brother | "Xiandi" (simplified Chinese: 贤棣; traditional Chinese: 賢棣; pinyin: xiándì) is another less commonly used form. |
| 賢侄 | 贤侄 | xiánzhì | You, my virtuous nephew | |
| 夫人 | 夫人 | fūrén | You, my wife | Means "you" when talking directly to wife. When introducing her to others it means "my wife". |
| 夫君 | 夫君 | fūjūn | You, my husband | |
| 郎君 | 郎君 | lángjūn | You, my husband and master | Archaic |
| 官人 | 官人 | guānrén | You, my husband | Means more like "Official man", like "The Man", like as the term used for the police. It might have been Archaic for "Husband" at one time, but seems unlikely said to be. |
| 相公 | 相公 | xiànggōng | You, my husband | Obsolete. It now refers to a male prostitute. |
| 丈夫 | 丈夫 | zhàngfu | You, my husband | A modern translation probably used in mainland China. |
| 夫婿 | 夫婿 | fūxù | You, my husband | A modern translation of "Husband", meaning more like "A grown-up son-in-law that's now a husband". |
| 仁兄 | 仁兄 | rénxiōng | You, my kind elder brother | |
| 愛 | 爱 | ài | You, my beloved / Love | A prefix to show affection for lovers. Examples: 愛妻 (my beloved wife); 愛姬 (my beloved concubine); 愛妾 (my beloved concubine) etc. |
Friends
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 賢家 | 贤家 | xiánjiā | You | Literally means "the virtuous house". |
| 賢郎 | 贤郎 | xiánláng | You, the virtuous young man | Referring to one's son. |
| 賢弟 | 贤弟 | xiándì | You, the virtuous younger brother | Could be either addressing one's own younger brother or referring to the addressee's younger brother. |
| 仁兄 | 仁兄 | rénxiōng | You, the kind elder brother | Used when addressing an older male friend. |
| 仁公 | 仁公 | réngōng | You, the kind lord | Used when addressing a person more senior than the speaker. |
Elders
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 丈 | 丈 | zhàng | A prefix for elderly persons. | |
| 太 / 大 | 太 / 大 | tài / dà | A prefix for elders. | |
| 太后 | 太后 | tàihòu | Empress Dowager | |
| 太父 | 太父 | tàifǔ | Grandfather | |
| 太母 | 太母 | tàimǔ | Grandmother |
The deceased
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 先 | 先 | xiān | A prefix for deceased persons older than the speaker. | |
| 先帝 | 先帝 | xiāndì | The late emperor | Referring to the deceased former emperor. |
| 先考 | 先考 | xiānkǎo | My late father | |
| 先父 | 先父 | xiānfù | My late father | |
| 先慈 | 先慈 | xiāncí | My late mother | |
| 先妣 | 先妣 | xiānbǐ | My late mother | |
| 先賢 | 先贤 | xiānxián | The late virtuous | Referring to a deceased person who was highly regarded. |
| 亡 | 亡 | wáng | A prefix for deceased persons younger than the speaker. Examples: 亡弟 (deceased younger brother); 亡兒 (deceased child) etc. |
The following are commonly found in spiritual tablets and gravestones:
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 顯考 | 显考 | xiǎnkǎo | (My) honorable late father | |
| 顯妣 | 显妣 | xiǎnbǐ | (My) honorable late mother | |
| 祖考 | 祖考 | zǔkǎo | Ancestral father | |
| 祖妣 | 祖妣 | zǔbǐ | Ancestral mother |
Strangers or social encounters
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 貴 | 贵 | guì | A prefix for persons and others things affiliated to the addressee. It is used for the purposes of courtesy and formality. | |
| 貴子弟 | 贵子弟 | guìzǐdì | Your son(s) | |
| 貴子女 | 贵子女 | guìzǐnǚ | Your children | |
| 貴家長 | 贵家长 | gùijiāzhǎng | Your parent(s) | |
| 貴公司 | 贵公司 | guìgōngsī | Your company | |
| 貴國 | 贵国 | guìguó | Your country | |
| 貴姓 | 贵姓 | guìxìng | Your surname / family name | Used when asking for the addressee's surname or family name. |
| 貴庚 | 贵庚 | guìgēng | Your age | Used when asking for the addressee's age. |
| 寶 | 宝 | bǎo | A prefix that means "valuable" or "precious". | |
| 貴寶號 | 贵宝号 | guìbǎohào | Your valuable business | |
| 府上 | 府上 | fǔshàng | Your stately residence | |
| 貴府 | 贵府 | guìfǔ | Your noble residence |
Other prefixes and suffixes
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 阿~ | 阿~ | ā | Ah~ | A prefix that shows affection or intimacy. Examples: 阿伯 (uncle); 阿妹 (sister); 阿哥 (brother); 阿爸 (father) etc. It may also be attached to the last character of a person's given name to address him/her intimately. Examples: 阿莲 |
| 本~ | 本~ | bĕn | This~ / Our~ | A prefix for things affiliated to oneself. Examples: 本公司 (this company / our company); 本校 (this school / our school) etc. |
| 為~ | 为~ | wéi | I, who am your~ | Examples: 為父 (I, your father); 為母 (I, your mother); 為兄 (I, your elder brother) etc. |
| 敝~ | 敝~ | bì | My~ / Our~ | A prefix for things affiliated to oneself. Examples: 敝公司 (this company / our company); 敝校 (this school / our school) etc. |
| ~君 | ~君 | jūn | A suffix used for a male friend or a respected person. | |
| ~姬 | ~姬 | jī | A suffix used for a female friend, maiden. "Guniang" (Chinese: 姑娘; pinyin: gūniang) is sometimes used. | |
| ~郎 | ~郎 | láng | A suffix used for an intimate male friend or one's husband. | |
| ~子 | ~子 | zǐ | A suffix used for a wise or learned man. "Fuzi" (Chinese: 夫子; pinyin: fūzǐ) is sometimes used. | |
| ~兄 | ~兄 | xiōng | brother | A suffix used for a older male friend. |
| ~公 | ~公 | gōng | A suffix used for a respected person. | |
| ~足下 | ~足下 | zúxià | A suffix for a friend in writing a letter. | |
| ~先生 | ~先生 | xiānshēng | Mr. | A suffix used for a person in a profession. |
| ~前輩 | ~前辈 | qiánbeì | A suffix used for an elder or a more senior person in the same profession as the speaker. | |
| ~大人 | ~大人 | dàrén | Sir / Madam | A suffix used for an official or a person in authority. |
| ~氏 | ~氏 | shì | A suffix used after a surname to address someone not of personal acquaintance. | |
| ~兒 | ~儿 | ér | son | A suffix used for a young person. |
| ~哥 | ~哥 | gē | elder brother | A suffix used for an older male friend or relative. |
| ~弟 | ~弟 | dì | younger brother | A suffix used for a younger male friend or relative. |
| ~姐 | ~姐 | jiĕ | elder sister | A suffix used for an older female friend or relative. |
| ~妹 | ~妹 | mèi | younger sister | A suffix used for a younger female friend or relative. |
Salutations
Salutation is used at the beginning of a speech or a letter to address the audience or recipient(s). In the English language, salutations are usually in the form "Dear...". However, the Chinese language has more variations for salutation, which are used in different situations. Here are a few examples in modern Chinese:
- 親愛的...·亲爱的... (qīn'aì de): Dear (beloved)
- 尊敬的... (zūnjìng de): Revered ...
- 敬愛的...·敬爱的... (jìng'aì de): Dear esteemed ...
Pejorative slang
It has been a tradition for many years in China to address oneself colloquially using these pronouns in place of "I" to indicate contempt for the listener, to assert the superiority of oneself, or when teasing:
- 老子 (Lǎozi, not to be confused with Laozi the philosopher, written the same way): I, your dad (referring to oneself as superior)
- 爺·爷 (Yé): I, your lord. Used in parts of Northern China
- 恁父 (Hokkien: lín-pē): I, your dad (referring to oneself as superior).
When used towards a person less well known or on formal occasions, both terms are considered to be incredibly rude, and are usually used to purposely disgrace the addressee; however, it is less of an issue when spoken among close friends, though even some friends might still be offended by their use.
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Baxter, Wm. H. & Sagart, Laurent. Baxter–Sagart Old Chinese Reconstruction Archived September 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.. 2011. Accessed 21 August 2013.
- ↑ Tschang, Yinpo. "Shih and Zong: Social Organization in Bronze Age China, p. 14. Sino-Platonic Papers, #140. June 2004. Accessed 21 August 2013.
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