Thread by @fandoestrans

Nicknames in Chinese (Mandarin) ✨⭐☁️

I've spoken about this before a few years back but I've recently seen some misconceptions about this aspect of the Chinese language so here I am busting myths again 🥹 please see thread below and point out/ask me anything!

In Chinese, respect must be shown to those older than you, in positions of power, those you are unfamiliar with, those who do you a favour; thus it is considered inappropriate to use nicknames to address any of those people. You would use honourifics instead, or their name.

It's usually most natural to call a Chinese person by their full name, as full names can be used to refer to someone even if you're strangers or friends.

Referring to someone you know well by first name is commonly done for 2 character first names e.g. Yilong, Yunlan, Yicheng

Referring to someone by their first name is Not commonly done for single character first names like Bai Yu, Luo Fei, Jiang Yang

There is no rule specifying this is wrong. It's not disrespectful or rude, just really really uncommon. People might think you aren't a native speaker.

For someone to call you by just your single word first name, you must be very close, like besties or family.

For example, Yang Mi's friend Liu Shishi calls her by just "Mi". How appropriate it is depends on the person's preference and the name (whether it sounds weird)

Nicknames are for:
• those younger than you
• those the same age as you
• friends/people you're close to
• family members (depending on who it is)

Let's talk about common nickname structures used for 2 character (A B) and 3 character (A BC) names in Chinese

Adding prefix:
啊+ (ah+name)
小+ (Xiao+name) (little)
老+ (lao+name) (old)

Adding suffix:
+子 (name+zi)
+儿 (name+er)
+啊 (name+ah)

Repeat character: (namename) -- only for first names, last names shouldn't be repeated like this, it would be kinda weird

It can be more common for southern Chinese to add prefixes infront of 1 word name e.g. 啊俊 (ah-jun) while it could be more common for northeners to add suffixes e.g. 俊子 (Jun zi)

Examples of how each of these nicknames can be used for 2 character names and 3 character names:

啊+name (a+name):
For 2 word name:
E.g. 容昊 (Rong Hao) = 啊昊 (ah-hao)
For 3 word name:
E.g. 赵云澜 (Zhao Yunlan) = 啊澜 (ah-lan)

name+啊 (name+a):
For 2 word name:
E.g. 龚俊 (gong jun) = 俊啊 (jun-ah)
For 3 word name:
E.g. 乔一成 (Qiao Yicheng) = 一成啊 (Yicheng-ah)

小/老+name (xiao/lao+name) (little/old)

For 2 word name:
白宇 (Bai Yu) = 小白 (Xiao Bai)/老白 (lao Bai)
章远 (Zhang Yuan) = 小远 (Xiao Yuan)

For 3 word name:
刘宇宁 (Liu Yuning) = 小刘 (Xiao Liu)/小宁 (Xiao Ning)/老刘 (Lao Liu)

子+ name (zi+name):

2 word names:
龚俊 (Gong Jun) = 俊子 (Jun Zi)
3 word names:
虞书欣 (Yu Shuxin) = 欣欣子 (Xinxin zi)

儿+name (er+name):

2 word names:
素水 (Su Shui) = 水儿 (Shui-er)
3 word names:
白梦研 (Bai Mengyan) = 研儿 (Yan-er)

(name)(name):

2 word names:
E.g. 吴磊 (Wu Lei) = 磊磊 (leilei)
E.g. 李茜 (Li Qian) = 茜茜 (Qianqian)

3 word names:
E.g. 王鹤棣 (Wang Hedi) = 棣棣 (Didi)
E.g. 张维娜 (Zhang Weina) = 娜娜 (Nana)

Please remember that which one is used is also very much dependent on how it sounds! There's no hard rule here, sometimes it's really just about one nickname sounding better than another

These are just some examples of common nicknames and uses, this is not an extensive list

Adding that familial terms can also be used as nicknames:
E.g. 哥(哥) gege，姐(姐) jiejie，弟(弟) didi，妹(妹) meimei，叔(叔) shushu (uncle)，阿姨 ayi (auntie)

E.g:
Qiao Yicheng = 乔大哥 (Qiao da ge) /
一成哥哥 (Yicheng gege)
白宇哥 Bai Yu ge/白宇哥哥 Bai Yu gege/白哥 Bai ge

Other terms of endearment:

A variation on this theme would be luo wenzhou calling fei du 小屁孩 (xiao pi hai) = lil bratty kid

(Sorry I have to put it in pics, there's just too much text to have it all written in thread!)

to summarise: if it's in writing, it's best to stick with full names or first names if its a 2word first name. Nicknames and names in general are largely dependent on the sound of the name and how it rolls off the tongue! There aren't that many hard rules to it!

If any Chinese moots want to contribute please feel free to!

Omg I did a booboo!!!!!

The ah+name should actually be 阿 not 啊
Sorry i had so little brain cells I didn't even notice 😭😭😭