Addressing strangers
To round out my little series on relationship terms, here are common ways of addressing strangers in Chinese. (See also Chinese Family Tree, Terms of Endearment, and Mates)
All terms are general neutral unless specified.
Restaurant/shop
- fúwùyuán 服务员 = waiter/waitress/worker
- lǎobǎn 老板 = boss/owner
- *xiǎojiě 小姐 / xiǎo gūniang 小姑娘 = girl
- *huǒji 伙计 = guy
Workers with specific skills (e.g. taxi driver, shoe shiner, etc)
- shīfu 师傅 = master
Young people talk
- *měinǚ 美女 = pretty girl
- *shuàigē 帅哥 = handsome guy
Walking down the street (not in a business)
- xiānsheng 先生 = sir, mister
- nǚshì 女士 = miss, ma’am
- xiǎo jiāhuo 小家伙 = child
Could also be used for friends of the family
- bóbo 伯伯/dàye 大爷 = uncle (man older than father)
- shūshu 叔叔 = uncle (man younger than father)
- dàniáng 大娘 / dàmā 大妈 = auntie (woman older than mother)
- āyí 阿姨 = auntie (woman younger than mother)
*NOTE: While I hear people say these, I don’t say them myself because I’ve been told they can have negative connotations or may make some people uncomfortable.
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5 Responses to “Addressing strangers”
bigriver
said:
bóbo 伯伯 = man older than father
In some area we say”daye大爷”
Comment date: Jan 22, 2007
max
said:
I always feel a bit strange about using the last set of terms - ayi etc. - given that as a laowai, it’s pretty obvious that they aren’t going to be my aunt (uncle, etc). Anyone else feel like this?
Comment date: Jan 26, 2007
Nicki
said:
In reply to Max, yeah, but on the other hand they will use those terms in relation to us even though obviously we aren’t their auntie or uncle or whatnot. For example, last week after I helped a 5 or 6 yr old girl into the seat next to me on the bus, her mother instructed her to thank me. In the cutest little girl voice imaginable, she said “Xie xie, ayi!” Too adorable.
Comment date: Jan 30, 2007
Albert
said:
bigriver,
Thanks. I wasn’t sure if that was used or not, but now that you say it is, I’ve added it.
Comment date: Jan 31, 2007
Kf
said:
Interesting about your note on XiaoJie making some women uncomfortable.., while in a US city’s china town one day.., I need to point to get a waitress’ attention behind the counter.., not being terribly imaginative.., I referred to her as xioajie.., the reaction was one of vocal annoyance.., more so than discomfort
I’ve just returned from Beijing where oddly enough I hear that Shauige is ok..,
Comment date: May 4, 2007