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家父 (jiā fù) — (humble) my father (used when speaking about one's own father to someone else)

Definition

Humble way to say 'my father' when speaking politely to someone of higher status, used in formal speech and writing. Pairs with the family-humble set 家母 (mother), 犬子 (son), 愚兄 (older brother).

noun
(humble) my father (used when speaking about one's own father to someone else)

Examples

  • 家父，。
    jiā fù Zuì jìn shēn tǐ hěn hǎo, qǐng nín fàng xīn.
    My father has been in good health recently, please don't worry.
  • 家父。
    jiā fù Nián qīng shí céng zài zhè suǒ xué xiào rèn jiào.
    My father once taught at this school when he was young.
  • 家父。
    jiā fù Dīng zhǔ wǒ yí dìng yào xiàng nín biǎo shì gǎn xiè.
    My father told me to express my gratitude to you.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

家jiāfamily
父fùfather

Family 父 is a humble way to say one's own father.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢑓
𢑓𢑓家jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape 父 shows a hand holding a stone blade, referring to a man working with a stone axe.

Open 父 →
Appears in
Family & Kinship

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