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Cultures all over the world have different ways to address family members, friends, and new acquaintances. In some countries, how people address each other can be paramount to showing respect. In Korea, many people maintain the use of titles when addressing one anotherin order to be polite. Using the wrong name could cause offense, and so it is extremely important within Korean culture to learn and use correct titles. Although not as traditional as Korea, there are similar expectations within Chinese culture, based on a persons age, status and job.
Below is a list of Chinese family names from father to great-granddaughter and also a list of terms that we, as foreigners might use to address certain people in China. You will also find some useful questions for asking a persons name and how to respond.
Asking Someones Name
These are the commonly used words for name in Chinese.
姓名(xìngmíng) Full name
姓(xìng)Family name
名字(míngzi) Name
Informal:你叫什么名字?(nǐ jiào shénme míngzi)What are you called?
Informal: 我叫。。。(wǒ jiào)Im called
This is the most common and polite way to ask someones family name in Chinese, however, in general it is not customary to simply ask for the family name:
Polite: 你贵姓?(nǐ guìxìng)What is your family name?
Polite: 敝姓王。((bì) xìng wáng)My humble family name is Wang.
怎么称呼你? (zěnme chēnghu nǐ) What should I call you?
Chinese Names
Traditionally, in Chinese, the family name, which can also be one or two characters, comes first, followed by one of two characters for the given name.
There are over 3500 Chinese family names, but only 100 are widely used. The most common family names can be found in the book named 百家姓(bǎijiāxìng)The Book of Family Names. The three most commonly used Chinese surnames are 李(lǐ), 王(wáng)and 张(zhāng).
Chinese given names often have a special meaning for the family, or express characteristics the parents wish their child to have. In ancient China, the first character of a given name would be the generational name. This means that all children in a family of the same gender and born in the same generation share the same first character. The second character would be a personality trait. Given names are quite personal, and are only used by good friends and within a setting such as a family, class or office, where there is a well-defined group.
Immediate Family Names
Most of the time, people use kinship terms instead of names when talking to each other.
父亲(fùqīn)Father
爸爸(bàba)Dad
哥哥(gēge)Older brother
弟弟(dìdi)Younger brother
母亲(mǔqīn) Mother
妈妈(māma) Mum
姐姐(jiějie) Older Sister
妹妹(mèimei)Younger sister
老婆(lǎopó) Wife
老公(lǎogōng) Husband
未婚夫(wèihūnfū) Fiancé (man who will be married)
未婚妻(wèihūnqī) Fiancée (woman who will be married)
男朋友(nánpéngyou) Boyfriend
女朋友(nǚpéngyou) Girlfriend
婆婆(pópo)Mother-in-law (husbands mother)
公公(gōnggong) Father-in-law (husbands mother)
岳母(yuèmǔ) Mother-in-law (wifes mother)
岳父(yuèfù)Father-in-law (wifes father)
儿子(érzi) Son
女儿(nǚér) Daughter
侄女(zhí nǚ) Niece (brothers daughter)
甥女(shēngnǚ) Niece (sisters daughter)
侄子(zhízi) Nephew (brothers son)
外甥(wàishēng) Nephew (sisters son)
孙子(sūnzi) Grandson (sons son)
外孙(wàisūn) Grandson (daughters son)
曾孙(zēngsūn) Great-grandson
孙女(sūnnǚ) Granddaughter (sons daughter)
外孙女(wàisūnnǚ) Granddaughter (daughters daughter)
曾孙女(zēngsūnnǚ) Great-granddaughter
Paternal Family
爷爷(yéye)Paternal Grandfather
奶奶(nǎinai) Paternal Grandmother
伯伯(bóbo) Uncle (older brother of father)
伯母(bómǔ) Aunt (older brother of fathers wife)
叔叔(shūshu)Uncle (younger brother of father)
婶婶(shěnshen)Aunt (younger brother of fathers wife)
姑姑(gūgu)Aunt (fathers side)
姑父(gūfu)Uncle (fathers sisters husband)
堂哥(tánggē)Older Male Cousin (fathers side)
堂弟(tángdì) Younger Male Cousin (fathers side)
堂姐(tángjiě)Older Female Cousin (fathers side)
堂妹(tángmèi)Younger Female Cousin (fathers side)
Maternal Family
外公(wàigōng)Maternal Grandfather
外婆(wàipó)Maternal Grandmother
舅舅(jiùjiu)Uncle (mothers side)
舅妈(jiùmā)Aunt (mothers brothers wife)
姨妈(yímā)Aunt (mothers side)
姨父(yífu)Uncle (mothers sisters husband)
表哥(biǎogē)Older Male Cousin (mothers side)
表弟(biǎodì) Younger Male Cousin (mothers side)
表姐(biǎojiě)Older Female Cousin (mothers side)
表妹(biǎomèi) Younger Female Cousin (mothers side)
If there is more than one uncle who is older or younger in the family, they become 大 (dà)+ uncle.
For example, if your father has two older brothers, you would call the eldest brother 大伯(dàbó), big uncle and the next eldest 二伯(èr bó)2nd uncle.
Titles
Titles refer to gender, marital status, education, and profession. You would use these titles when introducing your husband or wife at a formal event.
Family name + given name + title
先生(xiānsheng)Mr.
太太(tàitai) Mrs.
小姐(xiǎojie) Miss
Professional Titles
医生(yīshēng)Doctor
大夫(dàifu)Doctor
护士(hùshi)Nurse
师傅(shīfu)Master (skilled worker)
老师(lǎoshī)Teacher
教授(jiàoshòu)Professor
律师(lǜshī)Lawyer
法官(fǎguān)Judge
主席(zhǔxí) Chairperson
校长(xiàozhǎng)Principal
警察(jǐngchá)Police officer
秘书(mìshū)Secretary
主任(zhǔrèn)Director of a government department
司机(sījī)Driver
总统(zǒngtǒng)President
经理(jīnglǐ)Manager
总经理(zǒngjīnglǐ)General Manager (shortened to 总(zǒng))
博士(bóshì)Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)
Addressing People
Friends and Acquaintances
Close friends would address each other using given names:
[given name], 最近怎么样? (zuìjìn zěnme yàng)Howre you doing?
Within a family, given names are sometimes replaced with kinship terms, but these can also be used with people who are not relatives.
大哥(dàgē)Older brother (close to your age, but older)
大姐(dàjiě)Older sister (close to your age, but older)
叔叔(shūshu)Uncle (title for a man of around your fathers age)
阿姨(āyí)Aunt (title for a woman who is around you mothers age)
爷爷(yéye)Grandfather (title for a man who is around your grandfathers age)
奶奶(nǎinai)Grandmother (title for a woman who is around your grandmothers age)
Addressing Strangers
Titles are a common way to address people and can be used along without knowing the persons family name. 先生(xiānsheng), 太太(tàitai), 小姐(xiǎojie),阿姨(āyí), 大爷(dàye)and 师傅(shīfu)can be used to address a stranger.
师傅 (shīfu)and 大爷 (dàye)are informal terms and can be used in many different contexts, including taxi drivers and maintenance workers. 小姐(xiǎojie) would be used to address a young woman in a service joband 阿姨 (āyí)would be used to address an older one.
It is becoming more common for customers to refer to their servers as 美女(měinǚ), meaning beautiful woman and occasionally 帅哥(shuài ge), for handsome guy to get the attention of a waiter or shop assistant. In a restaurant, you can also use the term for waiter, 服务员(fú wù yuán).
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