\tTitles are important in Chinese culture, and they are used more frequently than in most Western countries. One good example of this is that titles can be used to address people, which you might be familiar with from your Mandarin class where you can call the teacher \u8001\u5e2b (l\u01ceosh\u012b). While that can be done in English too, it's usually reserved for younger kids and not as common as in Mandarin Chinese.<\/p>\n
\t\u8001\u677f\/\u95c6 (L\u01cdOB\u01cdN) – "BOSS; SHOPKEEPER"
\tThe title for “shopkeeper” is l\u01ceob\u01cen.<\/p>\n
\tThis is used to refer to the owner or proprietor of a shop. L\u01ceob\u01cen can be used when referring to or addressing the shopkeeper.<\/p>\n
\tL\u01ceob\u01cen has two characters: \u8001\u677f\/\u95c6:<\/p>\n
\tThe first one, l\u01ceo, means “old,” and is a term of respect. It is the same character used in l\u01ceosh\u012b (teacher). Even though it doesn't mean "old" in this context, it can be a useful memory aid to think of it like that.
\tThe second character \u95c6, b\u01cen, means “boss,” so the literal translation of l\u01ceob\u01cen “old boss.” Note that these are different in simplified and traditional Chinese (simplified: \u677f, traditional \u95c6, but the simplified version is used in traditional too). The most common meaning of \u677f is "plank".
\tTo remember the word, create a vivid picture of a typical shopkeeper in China (whatever comes to mind when you think of the word), but picture the person with a face like an old, gnarled plank.<\/p>\n
\tEXAMPLES OF L\u01cdOB\u01cdN
\tClick on the links to hear the audio.<\/p>\n
\tNèigè l\u01ceob\u01cen y\u01d2u mài h\u011bn h\u01ceo de d\u014dngx\u012b.
\t\u90a3\u500b\u8001\u95c6\u6709\u8ce3\u5f88\u597d\u7684\u6771\u897f\uff61
\t\u90a3\u4e2a\u8001\u677f\u6709\u5356\u5f88\u597d\u7684\u4e1c\u897f\uff61
\tThat shopkeeper has very good things.<\/p>\n
\tL\u01ceob\u01cen h\u01ceo. Y\u01d2u méiy\u01d2u mài pínggu\u01d2?
\t\u8001\u95c6\u597d. \u6709\u6c92\u6709\u8ce3\u860b\u679c?
\t\u8001\u677f\u597d. \u6709\u6ca1\u6709\u5356\u82f9\u679c?
\tHello. Do you sell apples?<\/p>\n