#my brothers in zufu

[bugswithmugs]

markhellyna mutuals my favourite people i haven't spoken to 99% of you ever but i'm traumabonded i'm gonna show up at your local chinese restaurant and be weird to you out of love

[high-pot-in-noose]

Familial Terms You Might Want To Know For Your Chinese Fics

It was recently suggested to me after my post targeted towards fic-writers about titles and terms used in Chinese fantasy that I should also make one about familial terms. Apparently, it’s rather common to see confusion and mix-ups on this front as well amongst fanfiction.

DISCLAIMER: I myself am not Chinese. I enjoy cnovels and cdramas, but I am South-East Asian. Please don’t come to me for advice or explanations on any Chinese language; I do well with the titles and honorifics because my native language also employs those, but that is the full extent of my expertise. Also, please note that while there will be indications of if a term is formal or informal, the ones that I don’t know will be left un-indicated; feel free to let me know if you know.

Also also, I will not be including things like second cousins, third cousins, nor the in-laws for any of those relations. If I were, I’d might as well just write a book.

IMMEDIATE FAMILY

Mama – Mother, “Mom”; informal

Muqin – Mother; formal

Niang – Mother; informal, archaic (applicable for ancient/fantasy settings)

Baba – Father, “Dad”; informal

Fuqin – Father; formal

Die – Father, informal, archaic (applicable for ancient/fantasy settings)

Qizi – Wife; formal

Laopo – Wife, “Old granny”; informal

Zhangfu – Husband; formal,

Laogong – Husband, “Old gramps”; informal

Gege – Older brother; informal

Xiong – Older brother; formal

Zhangxiong – Older brother; “Eldest brother”; formal, archaic (applicable for ancient/fantasy settings)

Jiejie – Older sister; informal

Zi – Older sister; formal

Zhangzi – Older sister, “Eldest sister”; formal, archaic (applicable for ancient/fantasy settings) [*I don’t recall which novel I read that used this term, but I’m quite certain it was a wuxia; I can’t verify that this was a real term that was historically used]

Didi – Younger brother; informal

Meimei – Younger sister; informal

Erzi – Son; informal

Nu’er – Daughter; informal

GRANDPARENTS

Nainai – Father’s mother; informal

Zumu – Father’s mother; formal

Waipo – Mother’s mother; informal

Waizumu – Mother’s mother; formal

Yeye – Father’s father; informal

Zufu – Father’s father; formal

Waigong – Mother’s father; informal

Waifzufu – Mother’s father; formal

UNCLES

Bobo – Father’s older brother; informal

Bofu – Father’s older brother; formal

Shushu – Father’s younger brother; informal

Shufu – Father’s younger brother; formal

Gufu – Father’s brother-in-law

Jiujiu – Mother’s brother; informal

Jiufu – Mother’s brother; formal

AUNTS

Guma – Father’s older sister; informal

Gumu – Father’s older sister; formal

Gujie – Father’s younger sister; formal

Gugu – Father’s sister; informal

Bomu – Father’s older sister-in-law

Shenshen – Father’s younger sister-in-law; informal

Shenmu – Father’s younger sister-in-law; formal

Yimu – Mother’s sister; formal

Yima – Mother’s older sister; informal

Ayi – Mother’s younger sister; informal

Jiuma – Mother’s sister-in-law; informal

Jiumu – Mother’s sister-in-law; formal

COUSINS

Tangge – Paternal elder male cousin; informal

Tangxiong – Paternal elder male cousin; formal

Tangjie – Paternal elder female cousin; informal

Tangzi – Paternal elder female cousin; formal

Tangdi – Paternal younger male cousin

Tangmei – Paternal younger female cousin

Biaoge – Maternal elder male cousin; informal

Biaoxiong – Maternal elder male cousin; formal

Biaojie – Maternal elder female cousin; informal

Biaozi – Maternal elder female cousin; formal

Biaomei – Maternal younger female cousin

Biaodi – Maternal younger male cousin

SIBLING’S CHILDREN

Zhinu – Brother’s daughter

Zhinuxu – Brother’s daughter’s husband

Zhizi – Brother’s son; informal

Zhi’er – Brother’s son; formal

Zhixifu – Brother’s son’s wife

Waisheng – Sister’s son (if speaker is male)

Yisheng – Sister’s son (if speaker is female)

Waishengnu – Sister’s daughter (is speaker is male)

Yishengnu – Sister’s daughter (if speaker is female)

IN-LAWS

Gonggong – Husband’s father; informal

Jiagong – Husband’s father, “Family’s patron”

Laoye – Husband’s father, “Old lord”; formal

Yuefu – Wife’s father

Yuezhang – Wife’s father; formal

Zhangren – Wife’s father

Waifu – Wife’s father, “Outside father”; formal

Popo – Husband’s mother

Jiagu – Husband’s mother, “Family’s aunt”

Jiapo – Husband’s mother, “Family’s matron”

Nainai – Husband’s mother, “Grandmother/Madam”; (NOTE: There’s no strict translation of this, from what I’ve seen. It’s the respectful ‘madam’ used for an older married woman who doesn’t have a noble title; it’s the respectful term for your own grandmother; it’s the term used to for the grandmother of your children who’s not your own mother)

Yuemu – Wife’s mother; informal

Zhangmu – Wife’s mother

Waimu – Wife’s mother, “Outside mother”; formal

Jiefu – Older sister’s husband; informal

Zifu – Older sister’s husband; formal

Meifu – Younger sister’s husband

Saozi – Older brother’s wife

Difu – Younger brother’s wife

Sunnuxu – Son’s daughter’s husband, Grandson-in-law

Waisunnuxu - Daughter’s daughter’s husband, Grandson-in-law

Waisunxifu - Daughter’s son’s wife, Granddaughter-in-law

Dajiuzi – Wife’s older brother (specifically the eldest); formal

Xiaojiuzi – Wife’s younger brother (specifically the youngest); formal

Dayizi – Wife’s older sister (specifically the eldest); formal

Xiaoyizi – wife’s younger sister (specifically the youngest); formal

Dabozi – Husband’s older brother (specifically the eldest); formal

Dasaozi – Husband’s eldest brother’s wife (specifically the eldest); formal

Xiaoshuzi – Husband’s younger brother (specifically the youngest); formal

Xiaoshenzi – Husband’s younger brother’s wife (specifically the youngest); formal

Daguzi – Husband’s older sister (specifically the eldest); formal

Xiaoguzi – Husband’s younger sister (specifically the youngest); formal

[NOTE: All the words with ‘-zi’ in this category can have the ‘-zi’ removed and made less formal]

Multiple [insert relation here]?

What if you run into a situation where your relative has multiple siblings? Let's say for example, your father has 3 older brothers and 2 younger brothers. The eldest would be"Dabo" [Big Elder Uncle], the second and third oldests would be “Erbo” [Elder Uncle Two] and “Sanbo" [Elder Uncle Three]respectively. The younger uncles would be “Wushu” [Younger Uncle Five] and “Liushu” [Younger Uncle Six]. NOTE: Your own father is counted amongst the ranks of his brother, so he would be the fourth, and would be called “Sibo” or “Sishu” depending on which of your cousins is addressing him.

General Prefixes

Wai- : “Outside”; indicate maternal lineage on some relations

Tang- : Used in relation to descendants of father's brothers

Biao- : Used in relation to descendants of father's sisters and both mother's brothers and sisters

Gao- : For relations four generations senior of self, i.e. great-great-grandparents

Zeng- : For relations three generations removed of self, i.e. great-grandparents; great-grandchildren

Zu- : For relations two generations senior of self, i.e. grandparents, great-aunts, and great-uncles.

Sun- : For relations two generations junior of self, i.e. grandchildren, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Xuan-/Yuan- : For relations four generations junior of self, i.e. great-great-grandchildren, etc.

Ji- : “Afterwards”, for step-family

Yang- : “To provide for”, for foster/adoptive family

Gan- : “Stem”, for godparents and godsiblings

[mevaughan]

FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON AT ALL I am wondering as to whether Zachary and Rufus have fantasised about each other...? Do they like the sound of Zufus?

Zachary: F-fantasised? About Merle? Forgive me, either I misheard you, or you’re running a fever. Merle is my brothering apprentice. He has no interest in me, or I in him. We would never -

Rufus: Yes. Absolutely. Several times.

Zachary:…Forgive me, I am needed somewhere far away that is not here.

Note from the author: And no - no one feels Zufus. Because their pairing name is Merchary. 

Got a question for the Harmatia Characters? My inbox is open for a Q&A - just say who you want to speak to and ask away. I will answer completely in character!

[acomplexjourney]

Five reasons I stay hopeful about the world

It’s been a challenge to stay positive over the past few weeks. In addition to a grueling workload here at LECOM (trying to balance keeping up with lecture material and studying for boards), it seems like there has been a lot of negativity in the news recently. House Republicans have introduced healthcare legislation that will likely do more harm than good. The peaceful campus of my alma mater Middlebury was recently rocked by protests that resulted in a professor being injured. And there is continued war and violence around the world.

Despite all of that, here are five reasons why I choose to remain stubbornly hopeful about the world.

Almost done with Systems

We’re almost done with Systems! Since I last wrote, my classmates and I have finished the Endocrine and Reproductive systems. Key takeaways: type II diabetes is a really debilitating disease, so exercise and eat healthy to avoid getting it. And after learning about all the things that can go wrong during pregnancy, it is honestly a miracle that you, the reader, were probably born without any major complications and are living a relatively unencumbered life. Now, my classmates and I just have to get through two weeks of Dermatology and we’ll be free to dedicate a whole lot more time to studying for boards.

First years

I stay hopeful about the world because of first years at LECOM. I am organizing LECOM’s participation in DO Day on Capitol Hill this year. Out of the 20 Erie students attending, 15 are first years, which makes me happy. It shows that they are embracing their identities as DO students and are willing to sacrifice their time to help make life better for their classmates and future patients. In addition, “Mr. G.” (the first year who will be replacing me as SOMA Political Affairs Director) seems like a very caring and competent individual who I have faith will do a great job leading the trip next year.      

This year, I have also been attending a weekly Bible study with other LECOM students. Until recently, we were worried that the club would go dormant next year, since no first years had stepped up to take over the leadership roles. Fortunately, in the past week, a few first years have stepped up to lead the club next year! I am glad that Christian medical students at LECOM will continue to have the club as a resource for them in the future.

Healthcare for the Homeless

On February 20 and 27, I was fortunate to be able to volunteer at SOMA’s Healthcare for the Homeless footcare clinic. Every Monday night throughout the winter, LECOM students visit a local overflow shelter and offer to wash the feet of the homeless individuals sleeping there that night. I knew that it would be a little gross, since washing someone is never the most pleasant of tasks, but it was a lot more rewarding than I expected. The thing is, you’re not just washing the person’s feet and checking for any serious foot conditions. You’re talking to them and getting to know them too, which is honestly the part of the clinic that probably does the most good.  Take Mr. M., for example. Mr. M. and I had only been talking for a few minutes when he shared with me that he was in a dark place last winter and was considering ending his life. The caring manner he was received by a LECOM student volunteer at the footcare clinic was one of the main reasons he decided to seek help and he is now doing a lot better.

The reality is that medical students have to be very selfish with their time. There is a vast amount of material we are expected to master every week, while also not forgetting important concepts we have learned in previous weeks. But every med student needs to take a short study break once in a while and it’s great when you can use that break to help make someone else’s life a little bit better. Volunteering at the SOMA footcare clinic is by far the most meaningful thing I’ve done so far in 2017.

(Special shout-outs to Jake and Barb, who have put in a lot of work into making the SOMA footcare clinic what it is today!)

Elmira

I am hopeful about beginning clinical rotations in Elmira, NY this summer! My roommate Parth and I were recently able to make a mini-road trip out there to check out Arnot Ogden Medical Center and a few places we are considering living. I was pleased by what we saw at the hospital when we visited it in-between two of our landlord appointments. Arnot Ogden definitely seems like a good hospital to continue our journey toward becoming physicians, as long as we put in the necessary effort of course.      

We were able to visit three of the places we are considering living as well. Ironically, now it seems like we will be living at a fourth place we were only able to view from the outside, but I’ll share more once everything is finalized.

Family and friends

Finally, I stay hopeful because of the wonderful people who are in my life. I realize I don’t say this on a daily basis, but you are all wonderful (especially if you are still reading this!). Here are just a few of those people who deserve special recognition:

My Grandma and Grandpa. My Zumu and Zufu.

My parents and brothers

My roommates because of their friendship and helping me to stay motivated

Bryan and Jess because of their companionship during long days in lecture hall D 

Alex because he is a superb OPP partner and secret descendant of AT Still

Eli because he is a helpful and entertaining seatmate

Christian because of that time we went to Cold Stone at Millcreek Mall

That’s all for now! Time to get back to studying.