MTL Glossary

 

Use    Ctrl    F    to search 


Jump To :


» »  Titles       

» »  *A-Z*  Common Words  
» »  Location     

» »  Family       
» »  Names    

» »  Misc   

» »  Xianxia              







This may sound crazy, but its part of the adventure of MTLing. Be flexible.


  • Gender : "he" and "she" are interchangeable. This kinda makes sense since google is not good w/ names?
  • Positive and negative are interchangeable. Example: merciless is actually merciful. I think I may have changed this manually. "Not" may be added when not needed or not added when needed. This makes no sense, but its really how google translate. Either way... be VERY flexible.
  • "I"  is considered rude and therefore rarely used in Asian cultures.  This may be because age is an important status between people. Thus brother/gege, didi, xiong, bo, shu, jie/sister, mei is used instead of "you" or "I". 
  • Maternal or paternal relatives have distinct titles due to the expected role of each side.  A maternal family is considered a "foreign" or outside family. 




 Titles




Imperial Exams:

Examinee Candidates must start from the bottom to finally reach the Imperial Examination. The Child test is the starting point for young candidates authorizes the child to proceed to the next level. Candidates MUST take the County level exam at their county of origin [wherever they are officially registered with the government, not simply current residence]. Those whose legal residence is in Capital City where the final exam is taken place gets to pretty much skip the line.



Tanhua-Flower-Graduate ........... Flower/Pretty Tanhua,3rd Place and best looking Winner of the Imperial Exam 探花
2nd--Graduate ........... Banyang 榜眼 2nd Place Winner of the Imperial Exam
1st--Graduate ........... Zhuangyuan 状元 1st Place Winner of the Imperial Exam
Imperial Graduate ........... Juren, successful candidate in the imperial provincial examination 举人
County Graduate ........... Xiucai/show, passed County Exam 秀才
Child ........... First step on imperial examination journey, pass exam to qualify for the county exams






Common Words w/ other meanings




**I cannot translate these words because the 2nd or 3rd meanings differ too much. Kinda just have to get used to it**


in-law ........... "in-law" can be randomly added to daughter, mother, etc during mtl so I changed "in-law" to "-zi" or "-" to reduce the confusion a little.


........... A ...........
Attack/hit/etc all ...........seal........... to inherit a title. Ex: to attack Duke is to officially take over the Duke title.  This is done by Imperial Decree as with any Royal Title. Titled Heirs also need to be approved and sealed by the Emperor. 
Acne ........... smallpox or pustules like diseases
An ........... offering/greeting for peace, safety
Aunt .......... 姑 [gu] paternal aunt / husband's sister / husband's mother (old) / ❷ nun /
Aunt .......... 姑姑 [gugu]  .......... Is a high ranking older female  
Aunt .......... 姑爹 [gudie]  ..........Aunt's Husband
Aunt .......... [yiniang] .......... concubine, father's concubine
Auntzi ........... Uncle's Wife
 ...........
 ...........
 ...........
 ...........
 ...........  
........... B ...........
Bus/car ........... carriage
Bamboo horse ...........childhood sweetheart/friend
Biao ....... Cousin, extended family relationship via females. MTL uses Watch or Table.  
Breast ...........奶/Nai......grandma
 ...........
 ........... 
........... C ........... 
Catch week/zhou ........... infants are setup with different items representing different professions or personal traits [ie book, sword, flower] to indicate the child's future.
Celebrity ........... an important person, vip, high profile person
Child ........... Son and Child are interchangeable
Chinese man ........... a broker, realtor,
Copy ........... Search and Seizure, all properties (slaves) are typically taken. May also seize family.
Concubine ........... an illegimate wife ❷ google sometimes translate a shu (illegitimate) offspring (shunu) as "concubine"
Cousin ........... "Tang"  is a relative from the male side. Tang mei is a younger female cousin from father's side.
 ...........
 ...........
 ........... 
........... D ........... 
Dagger ........... nod
Daren  ........... an official   ❷ adult
Di  ........... legitimate wife/child  ❷ younger brother
Divorce ........... to cancel a marriage or a marriage arrangement [engagement]
Dumb ........... mute
Dowry Maid ........... maid taken when a lady marries, usually to help "serve" the owner's husband upon pregnancy.
 ...........
 ...........
 ...........
 ........... 
........... E ...........
Expensive ........... noble aka Gui, ❷ expensive=Fu meaning blessed
Essay/Words  ........... Wen; is a currency like copper
 ...........
 ...........
 ...........   
........... F ........... 
Family ........... wife [ex Erlang's family = Erlang's wife], NOT used often
  ...........
 ...........
 ...........   
........... G ........... 
gangster ........... rioter, etc
girl friend ........... maiden, daughter
grandma ...........Madam, taitai
grandpa ........... Ye, Master
gongzi  ........... son of an official/nobility / your son
Guifei coach ........... chaise
Gongxi ...........congratulations, greetings
 ...........
 ...........
 ...........  
........... H ........... 
Horn..........."drill the horn"  "horny"  :  to obsess
husband ........... master
happy ........... pregnant
Hu Meizi ........... "fox" a seductress
 ...........
 ........... 
........... I / J ........... 

Ironhat ..........Hereditary, Wang Jue , which originated from the Qing Dynasty knighted system, enjoys more favorable treatment and privileges .
There were 12 "iron hat kings" in the Qing Dynasty who inherited their titles without being downgraded. Eight of them were royal clan families who made military exploits in the early days of the founding of the Qing Dynasty. Because of their outstanding merits, they were granted permanent knighthoods of hereditary replacements. Enjoy the honor of serving Taimiao. The other four belonged to Enfeng, who were awarded for their meritorious service in the mid to late Qing Dynasty. [1]
Jue  ........... Hereditary, *usually*  Heirs can inherent for 3 generations, each generation a lower rank
Jump  ........... dance
Japan ........... begining
 ...........
 ........... 
 ........... 
........... K ........... 
Book a Kiss ........... propose a kinship via marriage = engagement
Kiss ...........Pro/Qin/Dear/Kiss ........... a relative or Kin, usually biological [i.e. pro-aunt]
Kang ........... 炕 (a heatable brick bed) / to bake / to dry by the heat of a fire
 ...........
 ........... 
 ...........  
........... L ...........
Less ........... Shao :  Young
Little/small ........... Humble, ie small one = humble one, little girl = humble girl
Last year ........... new year
 ........... 
 ...........  
 ...........
 ........... 
........... M ...........
Marry ........... irritate / start with / blame
Mall ........... Corporate / business
Mei Huzi ........... "Fox beauty" seductress
Morning Dynasty ........... Morning Court
Mother ........... [muqin] only the legitimate wife may be called "mother/muqin".  Concubines may be called yiniang or niang.
Mu ........... Mother, maternal
Milk ........... [nai] grandmother, Tainai is great grandmother  ❷ Baby
 ...........
 ...........
........... N ...........
Niang  ........... mother, young female,
Nai Nai  ........... grandmother, Mistress of the house (respectful) , milk/breasts
 ........... 
........... O ...........
 ...........
 ...........
 ........... 
 ........... 
........... P ........... 
Piano ...........Qin, Guiqin, etc all.  Pretty much any string instrument gets translated to "Piano" by google. 
Primary  ........... Little or Xiao
Primary 3 ........... "Little/Xiao 3" ........... 3rd party aka "other woman
Pro/Qin/Dear/Kiss ........... a relative or Kin, usually biological [i.e. pro-aunt], an intimate relation
Photograph ........... slap : 拍  to slap / to swat / to look at or watch
Professor ........... can be a title for a respected/senior person instead of an occupation
 ...........
 ........... 
 ........... 
........... Q ...........   
  ...........
 ...........
 ...........  
 ........... 
........... R ........... 
Remarriage ........... booking a marriage after a divorce or cancelled engagement
Robbery ........... trial / calamity
Restaurant ........... dining room
...........
...........
...........
...........  
........... S ........... 
Sesame oil ........... charity donation
Seal........... to inherit a title. Ex: to attack Duke is to officially take over the Duke title.  This is done by Imperial Decree as with any Royal Title. Titled Heirs also need to be approved and sealed by the Emperor.  
Scorpion ........... handkerchief, eyes, hair accessories, etc
Shu ........... illegitimate
Small/little ........... Humble, ie small one = humble one, little girl = humble girl
Squeamish ........... delicate
Sweetheart ........... daughter
Snake disease ........... nutcase, crazy
Soup pozi ........... water bottle/kettle
Son ........... [子] child
...........
...........
...........    
........... T ........... 
Tang ...........  is a relative from the male side. Tang mei is a younger female cousin from father's side ❷  soup
tooth/teeth/dentist ........... slave trader / brother
Teacher ........... 师  ........... teacher, master, specialist
Too milk ........... [tai nai] great grandmother
Tai ........... next senior generation, great grandmother, tai-dowager is dowager from previous generation
...........
...........
...........
...........     
........... U / V ...........
United States ...........  Mei, Beauty
...........
...........
........... 
........... W / X / Y / Z...........
Wanfu ........... "thousand blessings" a royal greeting
Wangfa ........... King's law
Word ........... private/intimate name
Write a book ........... divorce wife
Yipin...........1st Grade, best
 ...........
 ........... 
 ...........
 ........... 
zi ..........."in-law" can be randomly added to daughter, mother, etc during mtl so I changed "in-law" in to "-zi" or "-" to reduce the confusion a little.
 ...........
 ...........
 ........... 
Xi/Xie ........... Thank or Xie Last name
Xiao Er...........wait staff, helper, ❷ "Little 2"
Xiaojie ........... daughter of an official/nobility, young lady / ❷ (modern slang) prostitute
...........
...........
...........
...........  


Back to Top


Location



Yuan ........... Academy / residence / courtyard / hospital / garden / yard
Government ........... "Fu" the official residence of a titled official may be referred to as a government or government office. A Wangfu or Huofu can both be referred to as government in mtl.
Jiacun ........... [last name] family village
Shan ........... mountain
Zhuangzi ........... Farm Estate outside of city. ❷ Yuanzi / Garden



Back to Top




Family





Note: 

Big ........... Da = 1st=Eldest ; big aunt, big uncle, big brother, lao-da are also titles and not necessarily relatives.
Xiao ........... little=youngest ; can also refer to the youngest child in the family example: xiao young master
Primary  ........... "Little"


Jia ........... family
Er ........... 2nd, 2, child/children, little, endearment when followed by a name
Cousin.......Biao / Tang
....... Biao ....... Cousin, extended family relationship via females. MTL uses Watch or Table. 
....... Tang ....... Cousin, extended family relationship via males. MTL uses Lobby. 

<<  Link   >>  for more Glossary







Male



Zi ........... denotes male [ex. shizi, shenzi, gongzi, erzi]
Geer / Ge / Ji / Xiong ........... brother, may be a title instead of of literal brother
Didi / Di ........... younger brother
Door to door husband ........... recruited male to take wife's surname and their off springs continue her family bloodline.
Fuma/Hummer/horse ........... Princess husband, County Ma is a County Owner husband
nephew ........... shizi, shenzi
Yeye/Laozi ........... Grandfather, grandpa, master
Laotai-Ye ........... Oldest Master (Tai Laoye)
Lao-Ye ........... Old Master
Ye ........... Master
Shaoye ........... Young Master
Bo/Shu ........... father's brother, Uncle
Mu-uncle ........... mother's brother, uncle
Dage ........... Eldest/1st Brother [or] Big brother, a way to address an older male
Dabo ........... Eldest/1st Uncle [or] Big Uncle, a way to address an older male [older than Dage]
Lao-Da ........... 1st Child [or] Big Boss [or] way to address an elderly man [older than Dabo]
Lao-Er ........... 2nd Child.... lao-san
Dalang ........... erlang, sanlang = lang (young man) by family position, younger than Lao-Da,
Child/Son ........... Child and son are interchangeable [2 children and 1 girl = 2 sons and 1 daughter]
Dimei/Didimei ........... younger siblings [or] Didi's wife
...........
  ...........
 ...........
 ...........  

Female


Hoa ........... denotes female [ex. Wang Hoa is a female wang or a wangfei, also apply to names ]
Mu ........... mother, natal, maternal [ex. Mu-Uncle, mu-aunt, Mu-Bomu]
Mu-Lady ........... married daughter, title used my her family [gutaitai]
Girl ........... Nu ........... denotes female [ex. shi-nu, zhi-nu, sheng-nu] Outside Mistress girl is the daughter of an outside mistress


Bomu/Shumu/Auntzi ........... Uncle's wife
Shu .......... younger uncle OR his wife / Aunt
Niang ........... mother / young lady / married lady /
Guniang ........... young lady / Miss / lady
Niang Niang ........... goddess, imperial consort or female family members
Mu-niang ........... mu-uncle's wife

Milk/nai-nai ........... Grandmother
Popo/Gonggong ........... Mother/father-in-law [apo, agong]
Tai-tai ........... Madam/Grandma, or female elder
Niece ........... shi-nu, shen-nu, zhi-nu
Shi-nu ........... can refer to any female younger generation in the family
Xiaojie ........... "Young Lady" a daughter of an official home or high ranking family
Erxi ........... aka Erxifu/Erxi/xifu ........... daughter-in-law / wife (of a younger man) / young married woman / young woman
Sao ........... aka Disao/Sao sao/ Saozi ........... Sister in law, different area/time uses different version




Wife 

Official/Legal Wife ........... Niangqin / "my wife" / Furen / Madam
-- can also mean My Madam, the official madam not the speaker's actual wife.
-- Daughter-in-law, for example, can be a title instead of literal. A husband can call his wife a daughter-in-law, so I changed "in-law" to "like" to avoid some confusions.
-- Follow Room - Follow indicates the female position is after the deaf of the first official wife. Follow wife is of a lower position than a first official wife compared to other madams.

Concubine (Concubines vary in ranks and are ALL non-wives. All concubines are servants that maybe dismissed, gifted, even killed)
-- qie, chongqie, shiqie, qieshi,
-- gui/expensive/noble-concubine__ higher than regular qie, cannot be sold or gifted normally
-- jian/cheap/base-concubine__ is the lowest rank concubine, can be gifted or sold
-- tongfang__ lower than concubine, mostly servant status
-- bedroom waiters__ even lower than tongfang, no rank servant status
-- 姨娘 [yiniang], 玉娘 yuniang, 侧房 cefang. Ceshen 侧身
-- ceshen/sideway, side, sideroom / room / diverticulum / acolyte / jealousy /
-- Outside room - mistress left outside of official home and not recognized by family. Lower than a concubine.
-- Flat wife or 2nd wife ........... not a real "wife" but the highest ranking of a concubine. Usually only one or two allowed in this rank.




Back to Top






Names

* It is common to have 2 names. A formal name and an intimate name ("small name" or "word").
* Chinese has A LOT of  homonyms...  So when names are introduced, they are sometimes accompanied by the meaning so you can distinguish names and how to write them.


bao ........... treasure or baby (common for kids)
book ........... shu
week ........... zhou
 ...........
 ...........
 ........... 


horse ........... ma
cattle ........... Nu / Niu  [aka "girl"]
Tiger ........... Hu
Dog ........... Gou
Egg ........... Dan
Iron ........... Tie
Zhuang ........... Strong
Shan ........... mountain



ink ........... Mo
Yuyan ........... language
room/house ........... Fang
jade ........... Yu /yao [sometimes]
child/ren ........... Er [also means little or 2nd]
defending champion/guardian ........... Wei
gold ........... jin ........... kim


NATURE

lotus ........... lian
Jasmine ........... moli
stone ........... shi
mei ........... plum
Hoa ........... flower, added to a name or title indicates recipient is a female
phoenix ........... Feng
wind ........... Feng
Yan ........... cloud
Yun ........... smoke
rain ........... yu
sorghum ........... Liang
bamboo ........... zhu, yu
Liu ........... willow
grass ........... cao
Tao ........... peach
...........Hua ........... flower
guihua ........... osmanthus
cuihua ........... califlower



COLORS

purple ........... zi
green ........... qing, lu
blue ........... lan
red ........... hong
white ........... bai
black ........... hei 


SEASONS

Xia ........... summer
Chun ........... spring
Qui ........... fall
Dong ........... winter



DIRECTIONS

Nan ........... south
Bei ........... north
Dong/oriental ........... east ex. Donggong is East Palace, home of the Crown Prince
xifang ........... west



Notes:

Poor farmers are not educated so they primarily have secondary or nicknames in lieu of formal names. Cow [nu], tiger [huizi], pillar, dog, flower [hua], and so on. I kept most of the names as is because I believe its more true to the environment even though it sounds a bit weird to a modern person.









Back to Top








Misc


hehe/haha .......... laughs

Servants

Maids ........... aka cockroach, cricket, jealousy, ring,
-- Usually name after colors or flowers and named as a series
--丫鬟(yāhuan) : servant girl, can also be called yatou (丫头). Equivalent to maids.
--丫头(yātou) : girl, servant girl. Can be used deprecatingly or as a term of endearment.


Back to Top






XIANXIA


zong ........... sect
fairy ........... immortal [sometimes]
real people /dao ........... daoist
teacher ........... Lao / elder
repair ........... Xu Li, cultivation/cultivating
lingen ........... spiritual root



Back to Top

Post a Comment

To be published, comments must be reviewed by the administrator *

Previous Post Next Post