Comments on: A Note On Chinese Titles http://equivocality.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Comments+on+Articles+%28RSS2%29&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fequivocality.com%2F2007%2F08%2F06%2Fa-note-on-chinese-titles%2F%23comment-&seed_title=A+Note+On+Chinese+Titles To be equivocal is to truly live. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:54:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jeff http://equivocality.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Comments+on+Articles+%28RSS2%29&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fequivocality.com%2F2007%2F08%2F06%2Fa-note-on-chinese-titles%2F%23comment-6403&seed_title=A+Note+On+Chinese+Titles#comment-6403 Jeff Thu, 09 Aug 2007 03:06:53 +0000 http://equivocality.com/2007/08/06/a-note-on-chinese-titles/#comment-6403 You're right, it's another pronunciation. The "dai" sound can be both "big" and "under". Sifu in Chinese simply means teacher. It's not highly honorific, just respectful. A Sifu can be a cook, a calligrapher, or even a carpenter. It's also used casually, like the American "boss" or British "guv'nor". It was Westerners coming back from World War II, with grandiose stories of martial feats, who gave the mysticism of Sifu it's meaning. To the Chinese it's always remained the same; the title of someone who passes knowledge on to others. You’re right, it’s another pronunciation. The “dai” sound can be both “big” and “under”.

Sifu in Chinese simply means teacher. It’s not highly honorific, just respectful. A Sifu can be a cook, a calligrapher, or even a carpenter. It’s also used casually, like the American “boss” or British “guv’nor”. It was Westerners coming back from World War II, with grandiose stories of martial feats, who gave the mysticism of Sifu it’s meaning. To the Chinese it’s always remained the same; the title of someone who passes knowledge on to others.

]]> By: xibee http://equivocality.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Comments+on+Articles+%28RSS2%29&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fequivocality.com%2F2007%2F08%2F06%2Fa-note-on-chinese-titles%2F%23comment-6341&seed_title=A+Note+On+Chinese+Titles#comment-6341 xibee Tue, 07 Aug 2007 20:16:44 +0000 http://equivocality.com/2007/08/06/a-note-on-chinese-titles/#comment-6341 I thought dai meant large? or is that another pronunciation? Sifu, even though it means teacher, calls up the ancient automatic status one received as a scholar, which was more like we would revere someone like Steven Hawking or something. It is highly honorific, I can see why they felt awkward. Although it is traditionally theirs to claim...I rather like Sifu better too. And the family relational names! Holy smokes, I have to learn all of them in Korean really soon for my trip....not to mention proper bowing technique... I thought dai meant large? or is that another pronunciation?
Sifu, even though it means teacher, calls up the ancient automatic status one received as a scholar, which was more like we would revere someone like Steven Hawking or something. It is highly honorific, I can see why they felt awkward. Although it is traditionally theirs to claim…I rather like Sifu better too.

And the family relational names! Holy smokes, I have to learn all of them in Korean really soon for my trip….not to mention proper bowing technique…

]]>