Difference between China and West in Calling Relatives

Difference between China and West in Calling Relatives

By Ma Baofeng                          

China and the West's relative appellations are very different. China's are complex and the West's are simple. Many relative appellations in Chinese do not have counterparts in English. The relative appellations of Chinese and English that are completely equal to each other include father, mother, husband, wife, son and daughter. Due to the huge difference between China and the West in calling relatives, many people are usually puzzled in communicating with Chinese or Westerners.

Relative Appellations Are Complex in China and Simple in the West

Chinese relative appellations are many, specific and strict, and relatives of different branches, ages, generations, genders and relations have different appellations. But in the West, relative appellations are much simpler. Western families are usually small families, children will establish their own families after growing up, and the situation of several generations living in a big family is rarely seen. Therefore, they do not have special appellations for relatives older than the grandfather or younger than the grandson, do not have specific appellations for collateral relatives, and do not care much about appellations of marriage relatives.

In the West, the mother's father ( or mother) and father's father (or mother) share the single appellation of grandfather (grandmother), there are no specific appellations to distinguish elder brothers (sisters) and younger brothers (sisters), and there are only two appellations (uncle and aunt) for relatives of the generation of the parents, representing "Bo (father's elder brother), Shu (father's younger brother), Gu (father's sister), Jiu (mother's brother), Yi (mother's sister)and their spouses in Chinese."

For relatives of the same generation, there are eight specific appellations in Chinese, but there is only one (cousin) in English. The appellation "cousin" not only does not distinguish ages but also does not distinguish genders.

Calling Relatives by Names

According to Chinese customs, the elder can call the younger by names, but the younger must not call the elder by names and must call them by appellations, such as grandpa, grandma, dad and mom.

However, in the West, the younger can also call the elder by appellations or directly by names. Of the same generation, people also are not used to calling each other by appellations but often call each other by names or nick names, such as "John-Johnny, Robert-Rob and Elizabeth-Lizzy/Liz". In their opinion, calling relatives by names could show they have close and good relations.

Simulating Relative Appellations

Simulating relative appellations means using relative appellations on non-relatives to show friendliness. In China, people usually call their familiar neighbors by relative appellations, such as "aunt Zhang," "uncle Li," "grandpa" and "grandma," or call people of certain professions by relative appellations, such as "uncle mailman" and "aunt saleswoman." But in Western countries, such as the United Kingdom and United States, people usually call these people "Mister," "Miss" or "madam."

But in the countryside of some Western countries, people also use simulative relative appellations, such as "Uncle Tom" or "Aunt Kate," on their acquaintances (such as the parents' friends) sometimes.

Following Local Customs

China and the West are different in calling relatives and it is a reflection of the cultural difference between the two regions. During the communication, we should adhere to the old saying, "Do in Rome as Rome does." It is hard to tell which culture is better and the two should not repel each other. We let them be, and they will go well naturally.

(Source: People's Daily)