Ch 30 · Lesson 24Mandarin · Chapter 30 · Lesson 24 · Themed review
What to call people
Surname first, (Xiǎo Wáng) and (Lǎo Wáng), strangers as auntie and uncle, and family words that say whose side and how old.
Practise this lesson
19-word session
A quick mix of exercises - recognise, recall, type and build each word. Miss one and it comes back round until it sticks.
Worth knowing
Auntie, Master and Little Wang
English gets by with a first name, Mr or Mrs, and sir or madam. Mandarin speakers choose a word that places the person: older or younger, family or not, which side of the family, and what they do.
Surname first
In 王小明 (Wáng Xiǎomíng), 王 (Wáng) is the surname and 小明 (Xiǎomíng) the given name. The family comes first. The polite way to ask someone's surname is 您贵姓 (nín guìxìng)? Literally: your precious surname? The answer drops the politeness: 我姓王 (wǒ xìng Wáng), my surname is Wang.
小 (xiǎo) and 老 (lǎo)
Among friends and colleagues, people use the surname with a prefix.
| (Xiǎo Wáng) | little Wang | someone younger than you, or junior |
| (Lǎo Wáng) | old Wang | someone you know well, about your age or older; it does not mean elderly |
Both are friendly and informal, so keep them for people you know.
Strangers are family
A woman of about your parents' age is 阿姨 (āyí), auntie, and a man 叔叔 (shūshu), uncle, even when they are complete strangers: children use these for adults they meet, and so do younger adults. On the mainland, a taxi driver, a cook or a plumber is 师傅 (shīfu), master, a title of respect for a skilled worker; in Taiwan you are more likely to hear 司机 (sījī), driver, for the one at the wheel. 老师 (lǎoshī) works as a title too: 王老师 (Wáng lǎoshī).
Whose side, and how old
Family words are exact where English is vague.
| English | Mandarin | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| brother | (gēge) / (dìdi) | older / younger |
| sister | (jiějie) / (mèimei) | older / younger |
| grandad | (yéye) / (wàigōng) | father's / mother's side |
| grandma | (nǎinai) / (wàipó) | father's / mother's side |
| uncle | 伯伯 (bóbo) / (shūshu) / 舅舅 (jiùjiu) | father's older brother / father's younger brother / mother's brother |
外 (wài), outside, marks the mother's side. In the north you will also hear 姥爷 (lǎoye) and 姥姥 (lǎolao) for the mother's parents.
Being polite about it
您 (nín) is the polite you, for someone older or senior. 大家 (dàjiā) is everyone, the word to start with when you speak to a room. Getting these right is a matter of 礼貌 (lǐmào), manners, more than grammar, and people notice.