The

Hokkien language The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages in T ...

uses a broad array of

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

suffixes In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the Stem (linguistics), stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns, adjectives, and verb endings, which form the Grammatical conjugation ...

prefixes A prefix is an affix which is placed before the Word stem, stem of a word. Adding it to the beginning of one word changes it into another word. For example, when the prefix ''un-'' is added to the word ''happy'', it creates the word ''unhappy'' ...

for addressing or referring to people. Most are suffixes. Honorifics are often non-gender-neutral; some imply a feminine context (such as ''sió-chiá'') while others imply a masculine one (such as ''sian-siⁿ''), and still others imply both.

Common honorifics

''Sian-siⁿ''

''Sian-siⁿ'' (), also pronounced ''sian-seⁿ'' in some Hokkien dialects, is the most commonplace male honorific and is a title of respect typically used between equals of any age. ''Sian-siⁿ'' is also used to refer to or address authority figures, especially

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

s and

doctors Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...

. The usage is also seen in other East Asian languages (see

sensei Sensei, Seonsaeng, Tiên sinh or Xiansheng, corresponding to Chinese characters , is an East Asian honorific term shared in Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese; it is literally translated as "person born before another" or "one who comes ...

''Sió-chiá''

''Sió-chiá'' ( 小姐) is a term for an unmarried woman.

Familial honorifics

Honorifics for family members have two different forms in Hokkien. For a younger family member to call an elder one, the prefixes ''a-'' (阿) or ''chó͘-'' (祖) is used as the honorific. The usage may also be used to mention one's own family members. For examples: Note that it is very impolite to say ''lín chó͘-má'' (your great grandma) in some situations; it may be regarded as a rude singular first personal pronoun for the female speakers. (See Hokkien pronouns) For someone to mention his or her own parents to a non-family-member, the prefix ''lāu-'' (老) is sometimes used to replace the prefix ''a-'' as the honorific. For someone to mention his or her own elder family members to a non-family-member, the prefix ''án-'' (俺), which literally means ''my'', is also used in some areas. For examples:

Occupation-related honorifics

''Sai''

Similar to suffix ''-su'' and ''-sū'' mentioned later, the suffix ''-sai'' (師) is used for some people with skillful techniques; for example, ''kûn-thâu-sai'' (拳頭師) for

martial artist Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...

s, ''phah-thih-á-sai'' (拍鐵仔師) for

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

s, ''phah-chio̍h-sai'' (拍石師) for masons, ''thô͘-chúi-sai'' (塗水師) for

plasterer A plasterer is a tradesman or tradesperson who works with plaster, such as forming a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls. The process of creating plasterwork, called plastering, has been u ...

s, ''chóng-phò͘-sai'' (總舖師) for

chef A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a kitche ...

s and '' sai-kōng '' (師公) for a

daoshi A daoshi (道士 "master of the Tao"), translated as Taoist priest, Taoist monk, Taoist master or Professional Taoist, is a priest in Taoism. Along with Han Chinese priests, there are also many practicing ethnic minority priests in China. Some o ...

''Su''

Many people with different occupations get their own honorifics with a suffix ''-su'' (師) in Hokkien. For example, ''i-su'' (醫師) for

, ''io̍h-chè-su'' (藥劑師) for

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

s, ''kang-têng-su'' (工程師) for

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

s, ''lāu-su'' (老師) for teachers, and ''lu̍t-su'' (律師) for

lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...

''Sū''

For

academic degree An academic degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at various levels, usually including unde ...

s, the titles are suffixed with ''-sū'' (士); for examples, ''phok-sū'' (博士) for

doctorate degree A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

, ''se̍k-sū'' (碩士) for

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

, and ''ha̍k-sū'' (學士) for

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

. In addition, some occupations have their honorifics with a suffix ''-sū''; for example, ''hō͘-sū'' (護士) for

nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...

s, ''piān-sū'' (辯士) for

voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non-Diegetic#Film sound and music, diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, th ...

s, and ''chō͘-sán-sū'' (助產士) for

midwives A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; con ...

Royal and official honorifics

*''Pē-hā'' (陛下) is used for sovereign royalty, similar to "

Majesty Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty, oral address Your Majesty; from the Latin ''maiestas'', meaning "greatness") is used as a manner of address by many monarchs, usually kings or queens. Where used, the style outranks the st ...

" in English. *''Tiān-hā'' (殿下) is used for non-sovereign royalty, similar to "

Highness Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style used to address (in second person) or refer to (in third person) certain members of a reigning or formerly reigning dynasty. It is typically used with a possessive adjecti ...

" in English. *''Chóng-thóng'' (總統) means

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

. *''Chóng-lí'' (總理) means

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

. *''Koh-hā'' (閣下) means "Your Excellency", and is used for

heads of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 "he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and le ...

(except for those addressed by ''Pē-hā'' or ''Tiān-hā''),

heads of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a gro ...

, ministers.