Traditional Chinese Addressing on Invitation Card

Almost done with the invitation cards. Nick and myself has given out almost all of our invitations to friends via mail. As for Nick relatives, its only his paternal side so we managed to distribute all in a family event last Saturday. The most tedious one will be my relatives. We have both paternal and maternal to handle. To make things more tedious, have to hand delivered to the elderly.

 

I have told my father to settle the card as soon as possible. His idea was to do it during lunear Aug which left us like 12 days to finish the task! Last Sunday, I finally get him to sit down to write the invitation card, which make him realise the number of places he has to go is a lot! Hahahah! Cos I really cant imagine have to run the whole island to do this! So right from the begining I kinda hint my father that he would have to do the running, which he din mind at all! In fact he even tell me it is not that difficult...hahha he say he will do it! *thumb up! hahaha...

 

Although I have done some research, we still had quite a hard time trying to figure out if we has the correct information to write the traditional addresses on the invitation card. Whenever we face some uncertainty, my father will say "U check the internet lar" ***faint... not everything is available online de lei... hahaha.....

 

After he wrote like 80% of the cards, looking at the stacks of cards, I told him its ok to distribute now liao, dun need to wait till lunear Aug. Moreover he is on school break this week.

 

Last nite when I went home, I am so glad that he actually manage to distribute about 70% of the cards! almost 100% done for relatives! Left over are mostly his friends. He told me he ask my 姑姑 to go with him to the elderly then they sit there talk and talk until forget time, until very late. *I was there "暗笑"...hahah *Heng ar!!!! :P  I m very bad! Hehehe!

 

I realise it quite easy to find resources on how to do the chinese wordings for invitation cards, either search off web, refer to invitation cards that you had received, or best of all if you get a printer to do your card, they will do the artwork with the text for you!

 

But its never an easy task to find out how to write the traditional chinese addressing on the envelopes. For anyone who would still like to keep things traditional! Hope these help!

 

Usually, traditionally wedding dinner is host by parents of bride and groom, so the addressing is done base on the stand where its the parents who do the invitation. Always view it from the level of hierarchy where the parents is in.

 

There are basically 2 types: Relatives or Friends

 

1st type for family and relatives ~ I base this on without the need to write their name. Cos we do not really know the name of my grandparents de siblings. :)

 

Structure of the addressing:

 

home of the invitees  > how u address him/her in tradition > no of ppl you want to invite > ending

 

 

Home of the invitees

 

For family members within your own family, meaning the siblings of your parents (including 姑姑 and 阿姨 who is already married).

v      Use 家 to start

 

For male relatives then it will be base on his/her surname.

v      For example if his surname is 王, then it will be 王家.

 

For female relatives then it will be based on her husband surname. If she is single then it will be her own surname.

 

 

How you address him or her in tradition

 

For family member it will be as per how (your parents address) him/her.

 

Brothers of your father:

v      大哥 / 二弟, 

 

Single sisters

v      大姐 / 二妹

 

Married sisters its using addresses of the husband

v      大姐夫, 二妹夫

 

note: 幼弟 and 幼妹 (single sister) / 幼妹夫 (husband of youngest sister) is use for the youngest sister or brother.

 

For paternal side (meaning the siblings of your father and your paternal grandfather)

v      Remember to start with 家

v      Eg: 家 二弟

 

For maternal side (meaning the siblings of your mother and your maternal grandparents)

v      Use 家 姻亲 (refers to related by marriage, cos these relatives are related to your father by marriage of your parents)

v      Eg: 家 姻亲 内兄 (elder brother, 内弟 for younger brother in term of hierarchy not age)

v      Eg: 家 姻亲 妹夫 (husband of married sister in term of hierarchy not age)

v      Eg: 家 姻亲 姨妹 (single sister in term of hierarchy not age)

 

For relatives, it the most complicated part. Its base on the ranking of your grandparents

(below is how your father and mother will address them)

  v Elder brother of grandfather : 伯父, 伯母

  v Younger brother of grandfather : 叔叔, 婶婶

  v Sister of grandfather (regardless elder or younger) : 姑姑 (姑丈 for husband of 姑姑)

 

  v Brother of grandmother (regardless elder or younger) : 舅父, 舅母

  v Sisters of grandmother (regardless elder or younger) :  姨母. 姨丈

 

  

Number of ppl you want to invite

夫妇 - for couple only

盖府统请 - for the whole family

 

 

Ending

Usually "升" or “台升" is used after the name as a form of respect to the guest.

v      “升" described the upward presentation of the invitation card from a lower position in hierarchy

v      “台" is a reference for “brother”, used in polite language in the olden days to address one’s friend or acquaintance.

v      Eg: 夫妇台升 or 夫妇升

v      Note for 盖府统请, need not add any “升" or "台升"

 

 

To conclude:

For whole family of siblings of your father it will be:

v      家 陈XX 大哥 盖府统请 (brother with name stated)

v      家 幼弟 盖府统请 (brother without name stated)

v      家 大姐夫 盖府统请 (husband of elder sister)

 

For whole family of siblings of your mother it will be:

v      家 姻亲 内兄 盖府统请 (elder brother)

v      家 姻亲 大姐夫 盖府统请 (husband of elder sister)

 

For siblings of your paternal grandparent will be:

v      家 伯父 伯母 台升 OR 家 伯父 夫妇台升 (elder brother couple only)

v      家 叔叔 婶婶 台升 OR 家 叔叔 夫妇台升 (elder brother couple only)

v      林家 姑丈 姑姑 台升 (husband of sister, 舅父 舅母 / 姨丈 姨母)

 

For siblings of your maternal grandparent will be:

v     林家  姻亲 伯父 伯母 台升 OR 姻亲 伯父 夫妇台升 (elder brother couple only)

v      王家 姻亲 叔叔 婶婶 台升 OR 姻亲 叔叔 夫妇台升 (elder brother couple only)

 

For friends:

v      林XX 先生 台升 OR 林XX 夫妇台升 (remove the “台升” for friends, use “台” for elderly or brotherly else just use “升” alone for respect)

v      林XX 先生 盖府统请(For whole family)