Terms You Might Want To Know For Your Wuxia/Xianxia Fic
MXTX's danmei are getting increasingly popular, and the fandoms are getting more fic-happy. I've noticed that some writers seem interested in writing their own fics but are concerned of making mistakes with niche honorifics and titles. I've noticed some that have jumped right in, but have made innocent errors that I'd like to correct but fear coming off as rude or presumptuous. And so I've made this list of terms that covers the basics and also some that are a little more niche since they're usually directly translated in cnovels.
DISCLAIMER: This is by no means a comprehensive list of everything one needs to know or would want to know concerning ancient Chinese honorifics and titles, merely what I myself consider useful to keep in mind.
Titles
- Shifu: 'Martial father'; gender-neutral
- Shizun: 'Martial father'; more formal than 'shifu'; gender-neutral
- Shimu: ‘Martial mother’; wife of your martial teacher
- Shiniang: ‘Martial mother’; wife of your martial teacher who is also a martial teacher
- Shibo: elder apprentice-brother of your shifu; gender-neutral
- Shishu: younger apprentice-brother of your shifu; gender-neutral
- Shigu: apprentice-sister of your shifu
- Shizhi: your martial nephew/niece
- Shimei: younger female apprentice of the same generation as you
- Shijie: elder female apprentice of the same generation as you
- Shidi: younger male apprentice of the same generation as you
- Shixiong: elder male apprentice of the same generation as you
- Shige: elder male apprentice of the same generation as you, specifically one who has the same shifu as you or is the son of your shifu
- Zhanglao: an elder of your sect
- Zhangbei: a senior of your sect
- Qianbei: a senior not of your sect
- Wanbei: a junior not of your sect