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令尊 (lìng zūn) — your esteemed father (honorific)

Definition

Highly formal honorific meaning 'your esteemed father,' used in writing or when speaking very politely to someone about their father. It refers to the other person's father, not your own.

noun
your esteemed father (honorific)

Examples

  • 令尊？
    lìng zūn Zuì jìn shēn tǐ zěn me yàng?
    How has your esteemed father been recently?
  • 令尊。
    Qǐng dài wǒ xiàng lìng zūn wèn hǎo.
    Please send my regards to your esteemed father.
  • 令尊，。
    lìng zūn Dà rén yí xiàng ān hǎo, wǎn bèi jiù fàng xīn le.
    I am relieved that your esteemed father is well as always.

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.

令lìnghonorable
尊zūnrespected

令 (honorable) + 尊 (respected) is the polite term for your father.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 亼亼jí
  • 卩卩jié

In 令, the upper 亼 is an open mouth and the lower 卩 is a kneeling person, together showing someone giving orders.

Open 令 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape combines 寸 (hand) and 酋 (wine), showing a hand offering a wine vessel to express respect; some forms show two hands instead.

Open 尊 →
Appears in
Family & KinshipIdentity & Titles

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