LESSON XXVI
Family Relations
The relations in Chinese are exceedingly complex. Here only the simplest will be given. To be able to understand the complicated ramifications will take a long time, and can only be learnt by long experience.
It must be noted that different words are used when one speaks of his own relations from what are used when another person is referring to them. In the latter case more polite language is employed.
Thus the following words for “father” are used: If you yourself are speaking of your father, you might call him Ya (爺), or °Lau-nyang-ka (老娘家), or Kya-°voo (家父), or °Voo-tshing (父親), or Kya-nyien (家嚴). Other people would refer to your father if they were polite as Tsung-da°-zung (尊大人) Lit. “The honorable great man.” Kya (家) or Ling°-tsung (令尊). Children often call their father Tia-tia (爹爹), or Ya-ya (爺爺), or Pak-pak (伯伯).
So in regard to mother. If you speak of her you say Nyang (娘), or Kya-°moo (家母), or °Moo-tshing (母親), or Kya-dz (家慈). If you speak of the mother of another person you may say Ling°-daung (令堂).
Brother is different as to whether you refer to an older or a younger one. An older brother is Ak-koo (阿哥). A younger brother is Hyoong-°di (兄弟). Brothers (plural) is Di°-hyoong or hyoong-°di (弟兄). A familiar term for a younger brother is °Di-°di (弟弟). An older sister is Ah-°tsi (阿姊). A younger sister is Me°-me° (妹妹). °Tsi-me° (姊妹) means sister or sisters.
In referring to a son a father would call him Nyi-°ts (兒子) or °Siau-noen (小囝); others would refer to your son by saying Ling°-laung (令郞) or (公郞) Koong-laung. In speaking of one’s own daughter you would say °Siau-°nyui (小女); others would refer to her as Tshien-kyung (千金) Lit. “A thousand catties of gold,” or Ling°- e° (令嬡).
VOCABULARY
- To love, e° 愛.
- To love reciprocally, siang-e° 相愛.
- To injure, ‘e° 害.
- To be injured, °zeu-‘e° 受害.
- To begin, °chi 起.
- A beginning, °chi-deu 起頭, or khe-dzang 開塲.
- To repair, sieu 修, or seu-tsauh 收作.
- Repairs, sieu-°li 修理.
- To take hold of, to grasp, nyah 揑.
- To receive or accept, °zeu 受.
- To suffer, °zeu-°khoo 受苦, or °zeu-nan° 受難.
- To hand, to deliver in person, dzeu° 授.
- To save, be economical, °sang 省, or tsoo° nyung-ka 做人家.
- To save time, °sang koong-foo 省功夫.
- To waste, to be extravagant, saung 傷.
- To seal officially, or to seal an envelope; to deify; to exalt to a high station, foong 封.
- To rely upon, to entrust, khau° 靠, khau°-thauh 靠托, or thauh 托.
- A battery or a fort, ih kuh phau°-de 一個礮台.
- A deer, ih tsak lok 一隻鹿.
- To hunt, °tang-lih 打獵.
- A hare, ih tsak thoo°-°ts 一隻兔子.
- A fox, ih tsak ‘oo-li 一隻狐狸.
- A wolf, ih tsak za-laung 一隻豺狼.
- A squirrel, ih tsak soong-°su 一隻松鼠.
- A weasel, ih tsak waung-laung 一隻黄狼.
- A pheasant, ih tsak °ya-kyi 一隻野鷄.
- A goose, ih tsak ngoo 一隻鵝.
- A set of dice, ih foo° deu°-°ts 一副骰子.
- To gamble with cash, °too doong-dien 賭銅錢.
- To gamble with dice, zak deu°-°ts 擲骰子.
- A set of dominoes, ih foo° ba 一副牌.
- To gamble with dominoes, teu° ba 鬭牌.
- Again, tse° 再.
- Medicine, yak 藥.
- Tobacco, ien 烟.
- A gun, ih °kwen yang-tshiang 一桿洋槍.
- Powder, °hoo-yak 火藥. Lit Fiery medicine.
- Tide flowing out, lauh-°s 落水.
- Tide coming in, tsang°-°s 漲水.
- Firmly, lau 牢.
- As, ziang 像.
- All (collective), thok 秃.