trien27 Posted May 1, 2010 at 04:16 AM Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2010 at 04:16 AM 娘子I knew 新娘, but have never seen 娘子 until now. Why would it make her happy to call her 娘子? looks like it means something like mother: 娘 niáng: mother / young lady 娘 is from 姑娘. 姑 might mean an old lady who's never married, like a 'spinster' as they say or "old maid" [古 in 姑 of 姑娘 signifies that she's beyond "old" [older than the marriageable age, whatever it may be depending on the time]. 娘, from ancient times means "young girl", where this definition of 娘 is still used in Japan today. A young girl who marries and one day hopefully becomes a mother, [for the lack of a better word], is still 娘, but later 親 is added to it to make 娘親 = mother, and 娘 still retains its original meaning. 新娘 = bride = a newly married person [新] who will perhaps one day become a mother[娘親]. 子 is added to 娘 = 娘子, where 子 is only an honorific suffix said only by husbands to their wives [the wife is most likely younger than the husband in ancient China, and therefore the "child" suffix.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted May 1, 2010 at 05:59 AM Report Share Posted May 1, 2010 at 05:59 AM [the wife is most likely younger than the husband in ancient China, and therefore the "child" suffix.] Are you sure this is correct? How about 老爺子? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shi Tong Posted May 4, 2010 at 08:49 AM Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 at 08:49 AM Thanks for the full explaination Trien. Another word I've heard often for "old woman" is in Taiwanese, or maybe even Japanese which has been used in Taiwan, and I have no idea how to write it: "ou2 ba1 sang4" is a kind of phonetic pinyin/ stab/guess at the "word".. oops.. found it!!... MDBG: 欧巴桑: ōubasāng: aunt (Japanese loanword, respectful appellation for any older female). I dont think it's pronounced like this in Taiwan though!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted May 4, 2010 at 08:55 AM Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 at 08:55 AM Try calling her 娘子. I bet she will be overjoyed. Shi Tong, have you done it? I am still waiting for the news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shi Tong Posted May 4, 2010 at 08:57 AM Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 at 08:57 AM hahaha.. I did do it.. to my astonishment it was "well, that's just an old way of saying "wife"".. I was hoping for a really funny reaction- either a smack or a kiss, but neither was forthcoming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted May 4, 2010 at 08:59 AM Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 at 08:59 AM Poor Shi Tong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted May 4, 2010 at 02:00 PM Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 at 02:00 PM It's "甜食"。 Umm, isn't that just sweets / desserts in general? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shi Tong Posted May 4, 2010 at 02:39 PM Report Share Posted May 4, 2010 at 02:39 PM yeah, sweet- dessert, etc.... Poor Shi Tong. TBH, just happy I didn't get slapped.:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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