generational rank; family seniority
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
generational rank; seniority in family or clan hierarchy
Used to describe one's relative position in the generational hierarchy of an extended family, which may not correspond to actual age.
Tā他
háng行
bèi辈
bǐ比
wǒ我
dà大
，
wǒ我
yīng应
gāi该
jiào叫
tā他
shū叔
shu叔
。
He is my senior in the family hierarchy, so I should call him uncle.
Àn按
háng行
bèi辈
pái排
liè列
，
tā他
zuò坐
zài在
zuì最
zūn尊
guì贵
de的
wèi位
zhì置
shàng上
。
Arranged by generational rank, he sat in the most honorable position.
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Suī虽
rán然
nián年
líng龄
xiāng相
fǎng仿
，
dàn但
háng行
bèi辈
bù不
tóng同
，
lǐ礼
jié节
shàng上
yě也
děi得
yǒu有
suǒ所
qū区
bié别
。
Although they are similar in age, their generational ranks differ, so etiquette must distinguish between them.