Chinese honorifics
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Class consciousness helped promote the development of an elaborate system of honorifics in Ancient and Imperial China. Due to the social distinctions of different individuals, general pronouns were often considered discourteous and were rarely used; in place was an extensive naming and honorifics system to address people from different social strata and backgrounds. However, most of these honorifics have since fallen out of use, and they are generally considered "language of the old times" by today's Chinese people. Although spoken by few, these honorifics can still be understood by most Chinese, partly attributable to the popularity of Chinese historical novels and television dramas, which often employ languages from the classical periods.
A less developed system can be seen in English, with the use of "Your Majesty" or "Your Honor" to address royalty and judges.
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.
Contents
Referring to oneself
- 愚 (yú): I, the unintelligent
- 鄙 (bǐ): I, the less educated
- 敝 (bì): I, the unrefined
- 卑 (bēi): I, from a lower class
- (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: }}}) (qiè): I, who did not give you proper notice
- 僕·仆 (pú): I, your servant (male)
- 婢 (bì): I, your servant (female)
- 妾 (qiè): I, your wife
- 在下 (zàixià): I, who is humbler and lower than you
- 小人 (xiăorén): I, the insignificant
- 草民 (căomín): I, the commoner
- 貧僧·贫僧 (pínsēng): I, the poor monk
- 貧尼·贫尼 (pínní): I, the poor nun
- 奴才 (núcai): I, your slave/servant (male)
- 奴婢 (núbì): I, your slave/servant (female)
- 奴家 (nújiā): I, your wife
- 本~ (bĕn): prefix. I
- 为~ (wéi): prefix. I
For older people
- 老朽 (lǎoxiǔ): I, who is old and unable
- 老夫 (lǎofū): I, who is old and respected
- 老漢·老汉 (lǎohàn): I, who is an old man
- 老拙 (lǎozhuó): I, who is old and clumsy
- 老衲 (lǎonà): I, the old monk
- 老身 (lǎoshēn): I, this old body
For the royal family
- 孤 (gū): I, the ruler of a kingdom
- 寡 (guǎ): I, the ruler of a kingdom and with lesser virtue
- 不穀 (bù gǔ): I, the ruler of a kingdom who's not virtuous
- 朕 (zhèn): I, the ruler of the empire
- 本宫 (bĕngōng): I, the empress/concubine
- 哀家 (āijiā): I, the emperor's mother/the empress
For government officials
- I, the lower ranked and insignificant official (used in front of a higher-ranked official to show humbleness):
- * 臣 (chén)
- * 下官 (xiàguān)
- * 末官 (mòguān)
- * 小吏 (xiǎolì)
- * 卑職·卑职 (bēizhí)
- * 末将 (mòjiàng)
For scholars
- I, who started my education later than you:
- * 小生 (xiǎoshēng)
- * 晚生 (wǎnshēng)
- * 晚學·晚学 (wǎnxué)
- I, who is without talent:
- * 不才 (bùcái)
- * 不佞 (bùnìng)
- 不肖 (bùxiào): I, who did not respect you
- 晚辈 (wǎnbèi): I, who belongs to a younger generation (therefore lower/humbler)
Addressing or referring to others
- Emperors:
- * 萬歲·万岁 (wànsuì)
- * 萬歲爺·万岁爷 (wànsuìyé)
- * 聖上·圣上 (shèngshàng)
- * 聖駕·圣驾 (shèngjià)
- * 天子 (tiānzi)
- * 陛下 (bìxià); literally "beneath your ceremonial ramp"; used when addressing the emperor directly;
- * 龍 (lóng , literally means dragon) as in 龍體 (lóngtǐ , the King's body) and 龍顏 (lóngyán , the King's face)
- Members of the imperial family: 殿下 (diànxià); literally "beneath your palace";
- Generals: 麾下 (huīxià); literally "beneath your flag";
- You, my (or the emperor's) official: 卿 (qīng)
- Ambassadors: 節下·节下 (jiéxià)
- Influential people: 閣下·阁下 (géxià); literally "beneath your pavilion";
- Elder people: 前辈 (qiánbèi)
- Comrade: 同志 (tóngzhì), sometimes used to address the officials of the Communist China
- By titles:
- * Mister: 先生 (xiānshēng)
- * Miss: 小姐 (xiáojiě)
- * Madam: 女士 (nǚshì)
- * Mistress: 夫人 (fūrén)
- * Doctor: 博士 (bóshì)
- * Physician: 醫生 (yīshēng)
- * Teacher: 老師·老师 (lǎoshī)
- * Priest: 神父 (shénfù)
- * Deacon: 執士 (zhíshì)
- * Pastor: 牧師 (mùshī)
- * Bishop: 主教 (zhǔjiào)
- * Monk (Catholic): 修士 (xīushì)
- * Monk (Buddist): 大師 (dàshī)
- * Sir: 爵士 (juéshì)
- * Saints: 聖·圣 (shèng): a prefix indicating holiness
Prefixes
\"My\" (the speaker's) family members
- 家 (jiā): prefix for elder family members
- 舍 (shè): prefix for younger family members
- 堂 (táng), 表 (biǎo): prefix for cousins
- 小兒 (xiáoér) or 犬兒 (quǎnér): my son
- 拙夫 (zhuōfū): my husband
- 拙荆 (zhuōjīng): my wife
- 贱内 (jiànnèi): she, my (worthless) wife
\"Your\" (the addressee's) family members
- 令 (lǐng): the beautiful
- * 令尊 (lìngzūn) or 令尊翁 (lìngzūnwēng): your father
- * 令堂 (lǐngtáng) or 令壽堂 (lǐngshòutáng): your mother
- * 令閫·令阃 (lǐngkǔn): your wife
- * 令兄 (lǐngxiōng): your elder brother
- * 令郎 (lǐngláng) or 令公子 (lǐnggōngzǐ): your son
- * 令愛·令爱 (lǐngài) or 令千金 (lǐngqiānjīn): your daughter
- 尊 (zūn): prefix for people you know
- * 尊上 (zūnshàng): your parents
- * 尊公 (zūngōng), 尊君 (zūnjūn), 尊府 (zūnfǔ): your father
- * 尊堂 (zūntáng): your mother
- * 尊親·尊亲 (zūnqīn): your relative
- * 尊駕·尊驾 (zūnjià): you, the precious guest
- 丈 (zhàng): prefix for old people
Friends
- 賢·贤 (xián): for you, who is my age or younger
- * 賢家·贤家 (xiánjiā): you
- * 賢郎·贤郎 (xiánláng): your son
- * 賢弟·贤弟 (xiándì): your younger brother
- 仁 (rén): you, for whom I care so much
- * 仁兄 (rénxiōng): You, my older friend whom I care about
- * 仁公 (réngōng): You, who is higher ranked and whom I care about
- 先 (xiān): prefix for deceased elder people
- * 先帝 (xiāndì): dead emperor
- * 先考 (xiānkǎo), 先父 (xiān fǔ): dead father
- * 先慈 (xiāncí), 先妣 (xiān bǐ): dead mother
- * 先賢·先贤 (xiānxián): dead knowledgeable person
- 太 (tài), 大 (dà ): prefix for elders
- * 太后 (tàihòu): Dowager Empress
- * 太父 (tàifǔ): father
- * 太母 (tàimǔ): mother
Strangers or social encounters
- 貴 (guì) (Simplified Chinese: })
- * 貴子弟 (guìzǐdì): your son
- * 貴家長 (gùijiāzhǎng): your parent(s)
- * 貴公司 (guìgōngsī), 貴寶號 (guìbǎohào): your company
- * 貴國 (guìguó): your country
- * 貴姓 (guìxìng): your surname
- * 貴庚 (guìgēng): your age
- 府上 (fǔshàng): your home
Suffixes
- 君 (jūn): for a male friend
- 姬 (jī), 姑娘 (gūniang): for a female friend, maiden
- 郎 (láng): for an intimate male friend or husband
- 子 (zǐ), 夫子 (fūzǐ): for a wise man
- 兄 (xiōng): for a friend
- 公 (gōng): for a respected person
- 足下 (zúxià): for my friend (used in letters)
- 先生 (xiānshēng): for someone in a profession
- 大人 (dàren): for a higher ranked official
- 兒·儿 (-r): for a young person
- 哥 (gē): for an elder male friend or relative
- 弟 (dì): for a younger male friend or relative
- 姐 (jiĕ): for an elder female friend or relative
- 妹 (mèi): for a younger female friend or relative
Others
- 娘子/夫人: you, my wife
- 郎君/夫君/官人: you, my husband
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... (qīn'aì de): Dear (beloved) ...
- 尊敬的... (zūnjìng de): Revered ...
- 敬愛的... (jìng'aì de): Dear esteemed ...
See also
References
- The initial list references the article 【古代文化常识】人的称谓, which is widely distributed among Chinese educational websites. The origin of the article is unknown. CRI Online retains a copy of the original article in Chinese: http://gb.chinabroadcast.cn/9223/2006/01/24/342@873956.htm
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