Questions tagged [politeness]
For questions about polite expressions, etiquette, formalities, social norms, etc.
7
questions
21
votes
7answers
721 views
How should I say “I feel very good/I'm very fine” in response to 你好吗?
I've read that when asked the simple question 你好吗? ("How are you?"), answering 我很好 is the standard form, while 我好 is simply not used.
很 means "very", but 我很好 is simply translated as "I'm fine." and ...
14
votes
3answers
45k views
What is the formal/polite way to begin and end an email in Chinese?
In English, formal emails, e.g. emails to a professor, often start with "Hi", "Hello", "Dear" followed by the receiver's name (and title, if applicable). The ending is ...
9
votes
1answer
369 views
Politeness in referring to a recent death
Some people in the US normally avoid saying a person has "died." They say the person "passed on," or "has left us." Are there similar, gentle ways in Chinese to avoid saying a person died? Would it ...
9
votes
6answers
890 views
Using 老头 / 老头子 when speaking to others
I'm trying to get some clarification on whether or not it is impolite to use 老头 / 老头子 when speaking outside a group of friends when referring to a third party.
From my understanding 老头 is quite ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the polite/proper way to address elderly whom I am not familiar with?
I was wondering what is the polite way to address elderlies I do not know. Take the following context for example. Perhaps I visit a store and there is an elderly woman running the register and I ...
4
votes
4answers
353 views
Is there any official way to translate Chinese names into English?
Is there any official way to translate Chinese names into English?
Chinese is of course: surname + name, usually when translated into English why is the same formatting kept?
毛泽东 is usually written ...
2
votes
6answers
418 views
How to introduce “Husband” in social occasions?
Some common words are 先生 or 老公,
Are there any other options that would be more socially appropriate?
