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Chinese honorifics
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Class consciousness and Confucian principles of order and respect helped promote the development of an elaborate system of honorific language in Ancient and Imperial China. Chinese polite language is very similar to the Japanese system conceptually; both emphasized the idea of classes and in-group vs. out-group. So the language used among friends would be very different from that used among businesspeople. Although most Chinese honorifics have fallen out of use since the end of Imperial China, they can still be understood by many contemporary Chinese speakers.
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Class consciousness and Confucian principles of order and respect helped promote the development of an elaborate system of honorific language in Ancient and Imperial China. Chinese polite language is very similar to the Japanese system conceptually; both emphasized the idea of classes and in-group vs. out-group. So the language used among friends would be very different from that used among businesspeople. Although most Chinese honorifics have fallen out of use since the end of Imperial China, they can still be understood by many 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.
Because Chinese does not have inflections, i.e., there's no grammatical conjugation or declension, the Chinese honorifics system is not as complex as the conjugating Korean and Japanese systems. Politeness in Chinese is often achieved by using honorific alternatives, prefixing or suffixing a word with a polite complement, or simply by dropping casual-sounding words.
Example:
???????•???????(qing wèn ni xìng shén me?): “May I ask for your surname?”
The sentence above is an acceptable question when used to people of equal or lower status. But if the addressee is of higher status, or if the person asking the question wants to show more respect, then several changes may occur:
1. The regular second person pronoun ? (ni; you) is replaced by the honorific second person pronoun ? (nín; you [honorific])
2. The casual interrogative pronoun ??•?? (shénme; what) is dropped
3. The honorific prefix ?•? (guì; honorable) is added in front of ? (xìng; last name) to exalt the addressee
So the resulting sentence, ??????•??????(qing wèn nín guì xìng): “May I ask for the honorable surname of the honorific you?” 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. Wherever the Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese scripts differ, both are given, separated with a dot and with Traditional first. Many are obsolete after the end of the Qing Dynasty and are no longer used.
Referring to oneself
For self-deprecating humbleness, commoners or people with lower status
- ? (yú): I, the unintelligent
- ? (bi): I, the less educated
- ? (bì): I, the unrefined
- ? (bei): I, from a lower class
- ?·? (qiè): I, who did not give you proper notice
- ?·? (pú): I, your servant (male)
- ? (bì): I, your servant (female)
- ? (qiè): I, your concubine
- ?? (zàixià): I, who am humbler and lower than you
- ?? (xiaorén): I, the insignificant (usually male)
- ?? (xiaonu): I, the insignificant and female
- ?? (caomín): I, the worthless commoner
- ?? (núcai): I, your slave/servant (male)
- ?? (núbì): I, your slave/servant (female)
- ?? (nújia): I, your wife
Elders
- ?~ (lao), old
- ?? (laoxiu): I, who am old and unable
- ?? (laofu): I, who am old and respected
- ??·?? (laohàn): I, who am an old man
- ?? (laozhuó): I, who am old and clumsy
- ?? (laonà): I, the old monk
- ?? (laoshen): I, this old body (for a lady referring to herself)
The royal family
- ? (gu): I, the ruler of a kingdom (lit. "alone" - refers to the fact that the king ascends the throne upon becoming orphaned)
- ? (gua): I, the ruler of a kingdom (same as above)
- ?? (guarén): I, the ruler of a kingdom (same as above)
- ??·?? (bù gu): I, the ruler of a dissolute kingdom (literally "produces no grain")
- ? (zhèn): I, the Emperor (originally a generic first person pronoun, later exclusively used by emperors from the Qin Dynasty onward.)
- ?? (bengong): I, the empress/concubine
- ?? (aijia): I, the emperor's mother (literally "the sad house", indicating grief for the deceased former Emperor)
- ?? (chénqiè): I, your concubine
- ??·?? (erchén): I, your son official/subject
Government officials
- ? (chén): I, your subject (officials addressing themselves in front of the Emperor, in official writing, the character "?" should be written half the size of normal font in front of the name. )
- ?? (xiàguan): I, the low official (officials addressing themselves in front of a superior official)
- ?? (mòguan): I, the lesser official
- ?? (xiaolì): I, the small scribe / official
- ??·?? (beizhí): I, the humble position (officials addressing their patrons or someone of equal rank)
- ??·?? (mòjiàng): I, the lowest general (generals addressing themselves in front of superiors)
- ?? (benguan): I, your superior (Used when the official must assert his ranking in front of lower officials)
Scholarly or religious professions
- ?? (xiaosheng): I, who am born / grown "smaller" (i.e. later)
- ?? (wansheng): I, who was born later
- ??·?? (wanxué): I, who started studying later
- ?? (bùcái): I, who am without talent
- ?? (búnìng): I, who am without talent
- ?? (búxiào): I, who did not respect you
- ??·?? (wanbèi): I, who belong to a younger generation (therefore lower/humbler)
- ??·?? (pínseng): I, the poor monk
- ??·?? (pínní): I, the poor nun
The speaker's own family
- ?~ (jia): prefix for elder family members (living)
- ?~ (xian): prefix for elder family members (deceased)
- ?~ (shè): prefix for younger family members
- ?~ (xiáo): small
- ??·?? (xiaoér): My son, who is small
- ?? (xiaonu): My daughter, who is small
- ?~ (nèi): prefix for referring to one's wife - ??,??
- ?~ (yú): prefix for referring to one's self and one's family member; ???, ???????, etc
- ?? (quanzi): My son, who is comparable to a puppy
- ??·?? (zhuofu): My husband, who is inferior
- ??·?? (zhuojing): My wife, who is inferior
- ??·?? (jiànnèi): The one within (i.e. my wife), who is worthless
- ?? (hánshè): my home - literally my worthless residence
Addressing or referring to others
Emperors
- ??·?? (wànsuì): You, of ten thousand years. Here "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."
- ???·??? (wànsuìyé): You, the lord of ten thousand years
- ?~·?~ (shèng): the holy, the sacred
- ??·?? (shèngshàng): You, the holy up high
- ??·?? (shèngjià): You, the holy procession
- ?? (tianzi): The son of heaven (when referring to the Emperor in a third person)
- ?? (bìxià); literally "beneath your ceremonial ramp"; used when addressing the Emperor directly;
- ?~·?~ (lóng): literally "dragon", used as a prefix, e.g.:
- ??·?? (lóngti): the dragon's body (emperor's body, health)
- ??·?? (lóngyán): the dragon's face (emperor's face, mood)
Important people
- ?? (diànxià): literally "beneath your palace"; for members of the imperial family
- ??·?? (wángyé): You, the princely lord; for kings and princes
- ??·?? (jueyé): You, the noble lord; for dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons
- ?? (huixià); literally "beneath your flag"; for generals
- ? (qing): literally "official"; address to officials by the royal family
- ??·?? (jiéxià): literally "beneath your ceremonial banner"; for ambassadors
The following are commonly used today.
- ??·?? (géxià): literally "beneath your pavilion"; for important people
- ??·?? (qiánbèi): literally "you who belong to an older generation"
- ?? (tóngzhì): comrade, used by parties of the Nationalist Party of China and the Communist Party of China to address fellow members of the same conviction; also used by some older citizens of the People's Republic of China to address strangers. However, now among the younger and more urban Chinese, ?? 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 than faggot).
- By titles:
- Mister: ?? (xiansheng)
- Miss: ?? (xiaojie) The usage of Xiaojie is taboo in some parts of China as it may refer to prostitutes. In Suzhou ?? is substituted with '??' which in turn is considered offensive in other parts of China because to them it is used to refer to a 'dumb girl'.
- Madam: ?? (nushì)
- Mrs: ?? (furén)
- Doctor: ?? (bóshì)
- Medical doctor: ??·?? (yisheng)
- Teacher: ??·?? (laoshi) The usage to address someone a teacher has evolved to a polite reference to an educated person rather than an indication of the person actually being a teacher.
- Monk (Buddhist): ?? (shifù) or ??·?? (fashi)
- Priest: ?? (shénfù)
- Deacon: ??·?? (zhíshì)
- Pastor: ??·?? (mùshi)
- Bishop: ?? (zhujiào)
- Monk (Catholic): ?? (xiushì)
- Monk (taoism): ??·?? (fashi)
- Sir (Knighthood): ?? (juéshì)
- Saints: ?·? (shèng): a prefix indicating holiness
The addressee's family members
- ?~ (lìng): The beautiful
- ?? (lìngzun) or ??? (lìngzunweng): the beautiful and respectful (i.e. your father)
- ?? (lìngtáng) or ??? (lìngshòutáng): the beautiful and dignified (i.e. your mother)
- ??·?? (lìngkun): the beautiful door to the woman's room (i.e. your wife)
- ?? (lìngxiong): the beautiful elder brother (your brother)
- ?? (lìngláng) or ??? (lìnggongzi): the beautiful young lord (your son)
- ??(or ??)·??(or ??) (lìngài): the beautiful and beloved (your daughter)
- ??? (lìngqianjin): the beautiful of a thousand gold (your daughter)
- ?~ (zun): The respectful
- ?? (zunshàng): The respectful above (your father)
- ?? (zungong), ?? (zunjun), ?? (zunfu): The respectful lord (your father)
- ?? (zuntáng): The respectful and dignified (your mother)
- ??·?? (zunqin): The respectful related (your relatives)
- ??·?? (zunjià): The respectful procession (you, the guest)
- ?~·?~ (xián): the virtuous
- ???: you (father and son)
- ???: you (husband and wife)
- ???: you (brothers)
- ???: you (sisters)
One's own family
- ?~·?~ (xián): the virtuous
- ?? (xiánqi): you, my esteemed wife
- ??·??·?? (xiándì): you, my esteemed younger brother
- ??·?? (xiánzhì): you, my esteemed nephew
- ?? (furén): you, my wife
- ?? (fujun): you, my husband
- ?? (lángjun): you, my husband
- ?? (guanrén): you, my husband (archaic)
- ??: you, my husband (obsolete: now refers to a male prostitute)
- ?? (rénxiong): you, my kind older brother
- ?~ ?~ (ài): prefix for beloved family members, e.g. ??,??,??,??
Friends
- ?~·?~ (xián): the virtuous (for people who are younger)
- ??·?? (xiánjia): the virtuous house (i.e. you)
- ??·?? (xiánláng): the virtuous young man (i.e. your son)
- ??·?? (xiándì): the virtuous younger brother (either addressing one's own younger brother, or referring to the listener's younger brother)
- ?~ (rén): the kind (for people who are older)
- ?? (rénxiong): You, the kind older brother (older male friend)
- ?? (réngong): You, the kind lord (when addressing to someone senior)
Elders or the deceased
- ?~ (zhàng): prefix for old people
- ?~ (tài), ?~ (dà ): prefix for elders
- ?? (tàihòu): Dowager Empress
- ?? (tàifu): father
- ?? (tàimu): mother
- ?~ (xian): prefix for deceased elder people
- ?? (xiandì): dead emperor
- ?? (xiankao), ?? (xian fu): dead father
- ?? (xiancí), ?? (xian bi): dead mother
- ??·?? (xianxián): dead knowledgeable person
- ?~ (wáng): prefix for deceased younger people; ????? etc
Compare the above few with:
?? honorable deceased father
?? honorable deceased mother
These last two are considered more elegant and literary than the two synonyms above, and are commonly found in spiritual tablets and gravestones in Taiwan and overseas Chinese who were not affected by the Cultural Revolution.
Strangers or social encounters
- ?~·?~ (guì) - the honorable (still in use)
- ???·??? (guìzidì): your son
- ???·??? (gùijiazhang): your parent(s)
- ???·??? (guìgongsi), ??? (guìbaohào): your company
- ??·?? (guìguó): your country
- ??·?? (guìxìng): your surname
- ??·?? (guìgeng): your age (e.g., ??????? "May I please ask how old you are?")
- ?~·?~ (bao) - precious, valuable
- ?? (baohào): your valuable business
- ?? (xiànggong): term of address for any young gentleman (obsolete: now refers to a male prostitute, depending on the occasion )
- ?? (fushàng): your home
Other prefixes and suffixes
- ?~ (a): intimacy prefix; for example: ??,??,??,??
- ?~ (ben): prefix. this(person, organization)
- ?~·?~ (wéi): prefix. I
- ?~ (bì): prefix. my, our; for example: ??,??
- ~? (jun): for a male friend or a respected person
- ~? (ji), ?? (guniang): for a female friend, maiden
- ~? (láng): for an intimate male friend or husband
- ~? (zi), ?? (fuzi): for a wise man
- ~? (xiong): for a friend
- ~? (gong): for a respected person
- ~?? (zúxià): for my friend (used in letters)
- ~?? (xiansheng): for someone in a profession
- ~?? (dàren): for a higher ranked official
- ~?·? (-r): for a young person
- ~? (ge): for an elder male friend or relative
- ~? (dì): for a younger male friend or relative
- ~? (jie): for an elder female friend or relative
- ~? (mèi): 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:
- ???... (qin'aì de): Dear (beloved) ...
- ???... (zunjìng de): Revered ...
- ???... (jìng'aì de): Dear esteemed ...
Slang Honorifics
It has been a tradition for many years in China to address oneself colloquially using honorifics, or a pronoun in place for "I". These include:
- ?? (Laozi, not to be confused with Laozi the philosopher, written the same way): I, your dad (referring to oneself as superior)
- ? (Ye): I, your lord. Used in parts of Northern China
When used towards a person less well known or formal occasion, both terms are considered to be incredibly rude, and usually used to purposely disgrace the addressee. However it is less of an issue when spoken among close friends, though depending on person, some can still get offended.
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