Meaning of 他輩份很大?

[tooironic]

A friend of mine was trying to explain to me what 輩份 means but I'm still struggling to understand it.

 

The original sentence he used was 他輩份很大.

 

Is there anyone here who can explain what this means, as well as the concept of 輩份 itself? It doesn't seem to have an English equivalent.

 

Thanks!

[imron]

It's a position in a social or biological hierarchy.  E.g. your grandfather's 輩份 is higher than your 輩份 in terms of a family tree, likewise, the 輩份 of a CEO in a company will be higher than the executives, who in turn have higher 輩份 than ordinary workers and so on..

 

Maybe seniority is a close equivalent.

 

 

 

The original sentence he used was 他輩份很大.

He's really senior [in rank/position]

[Vivi MENG]

the 輩份 of a CEO in a company will be higher than the executives

 

Well, I doubt if  輩份 can be used in this context based on my experience. I think it is more limited to refer to the relatives of a person.

To my point of view,  輩份 is generation. Basicly, your uncle and aunt and your parents are of the same  輩份. Your grandparents and their siblings or consins are of the same  輩份, and their  輩份 is one level higher than that of your parents.

One of my aunt is younger than me, but she's  輩份 is bigger than me. Because her  輩份 is the same as my parents'.

 

In imron's example, I think a more proper word is Zi(1st tone) Li(4th tone), or zhi(2nd tone) wei(4th tone). (Sorry, I can't type in Chinese with the school's computer  )

[Kenny同志]

Well, I doubt if  輩份 can be used in this context based on my experience. I think it is more limited to refer to the relatives of a person.

To my point of view,  輩份 is generation. Basicly, your uncle and aunt and your parents are of the same  輩份. Your grandparents and their siblings or consins are of the same  輩份, and their  輩份 is one level higher than that of your parents.

One of my aunt is younger than me, but she's  輩份 is bigger than me. Because her  輩份 is the same as my parents'.

 

I concur with you, lass.

 

 

In imron's example, I think a more proper word is Zi(1st tone) Li(4th tone), or zhi(2nd tone) wei(4th tone). (Sorry, I can't type in Chinese with the school's computer  )

 

Not exactly, I am afraid. 資歷 has something to do with how long you've been in a profession or particular field.

[skylee]

I agree with Vivi that 輩份 can't be used in an office context. Using it to describe the seniority of a CEO is not right.

[roddy]

Related: I find myself wanting to use 高 here, rather than 大. Am I wrong? 

[Vivi MENG]

 

Related: I find myself wanting to use 高 here, rather than 大. Am I wrong?

I think they both do. wo jue de 高 geng jia shu mian hua ba.

[Charlotte Chen]

Sometimes, we also use 輩份很大 to describe a person who 年紀很大且資歷很深 in a particular field.

[Kenny同志]

This attached picture is relevant.

[Charlotte Chen]

This attached picture is relevant.

Thank you for your picture. That's what I means. He used 輩份高 to describe 張真人 because 張真人 年紀很大且資歷很深 in 武林 (a particular field).

[Vivi MENG]

 

This attached picture is relevant.

Just find out this is an interesting topic!

Well, as far as i know, being a monk or a dao shi, one has abandoned his relatives for his faith. And he and other monks become a huge 'family' together. the master ( is it the right translation of shi fu?) is like his parrents, so 輩份 can still be used here. But in business or other context, its hard to judge one's 輩份 is higher than you or not if you are not connected in the family tree.  

[skylee]

Not just 師父. It is 張真人 they are talking about. He is 祖師爺爺.

BTW, is that 倚天?

[Kenny同志]

BTW, is that 倚天?

 

 

舵主好眼力！

[imron]

Hmm, not sure where I've remembered that wrong from then.  Thanks for pointing it out.  Oh well, at least I got the first part right and I still think seniority works as a translation.

[dwq]

輩份 is not limited to families, although in modern context you don't usually see uses other than that.

 

We still call people work studied in the same school 師兄、師弟 and this relationship is referred to as 輩份。

Sometimes we still refer to senior people in the same profession 前輩，though this is not too common.

 

And it is not limited to the same family or institution.  In fiction 武林前輩 can be used to refer to somebody who is very skilled / socially senior in 武林。(Or this can be interpreted as everybody being in the vast institution of 武林)