Name Guide
Names, Honorifics, & Titles
Diminutives, Nicknames, and Name Tags
-ER: A word for “son” or “child.” Added to a name, it expresses affection. Similar to calling someone “Little” or “Sonny.”
A-: Friendly diminutive. Always a prefix. Usually for monosyllabic names, or one syllable out of a two-syllable name.
XIAO-: A diminutive meaning “little.” Always a prefix.
Doubling a syllable of a person’s name can be a nickname, and has childish or cutesy connotations.
Family
DIDI: Younger brother or a younger male friend. Casual.
GE: Familiar way to refer to an older brother or older male friend, used by someone substantially younger or of lower status. Can be used alone or with the person’s name.
GEGE: Familiar way to refer to an older brother or an older male friend, used by someone substantially younger or of lower status. Has a cutesier feel than “ge.”
JIEJIE: Familiar way to refer to an older sister or an older female friend, used by someone substantially younger or of lower status. Has a cutesier feel than “jie,” and rarely used by older males.
MEIMEI: Younger sister or an unrelated younger female friend. Casual.
XIONG: Older brother. Generally used as an honorific. Formal, but also used informally between male friends of equal status.
YIFU: Maternal uncle (husband of maternal aunt), respectful address.
YIMU: Maternal aunt, respectful address.
Cultivation, Martial Arts, and Immortals
-JUN: A suffix meaning “lord.”
-ZUN: A suffix meaning “esteemed, venerable.” More respectful than “-jun.”
DAOZHANG: A polite address for Daoist cultivators, equivalent to “Mr. Cultivator.” Can be used alone as a title or attached to someone’s family name—for example, one could refer to Xie Lian as “Daozhang” or “Xie Daozhang.”
SHIDI: Younger martial brother. For junior male members of one’s own sect.
SHIFU: Teacher/master. For one’s master in one’s own sect. Gender neutral. Mostly interchangeable with Shizun.
SHIXIONG: Older martial brother. For senior male members of one’s own sect.
YUANJUN: Title for high class female Daoist deity. Can be used alone as a title or as a suffix.
ZHENJUN: Title for average male Daoist deity. Can be used alone as a title or as a suffix.
Other
CHENGZHU: A title for the master/ruler of an independent city-state.
GONGZI: Young master of an affluent household.