I, this palace, this humble one
In a costume drama, the word someone uses for I is a rank badge. The emperor has one word, the consorts another, officials a third. You can work out the hierarchy of a scene from the first sentence each person speaks.
Four ways to say I
Each belongs to one kind of person.
These are not interchangeable synonyms, they are claims about status. A consort who says 本宫 to a servant is reminding them who she is; a scholar who says 在下 is being modest to an equal.
Rank in one word
What each line would be today.
Modern Chinese flattened all of this into 我 and 你, with 您 left for respect. That is why historical dialogue sounds so different from the modern kind, even when the grammar is the same.
A consort and her maid
Watch what happens to 本宫 when the emperor arrives.
Rank words are used downwards, not upwards. The consort says 本宫 to her maid, but the moment the emperor is at the door her grand pronoun vanishes and she speaks like anyone in a hurry.
Before the first emperor of Qin, 朕 was simply a word for I that anyone could use. He reserved it for himself, and every emperor after him kept it. It is a rare case of a word being taken out of the language by decree.
8 questions. Get 5 right to finish the day.
Who says 朕?
- the emperor
- a servant
- an official
- a consort
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the emperor Reserved for the throne.
本宫 is said by…
- a scholar
- the emperor
- a general
- an empress or consort
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an empress or consort This palace, where she lives.
臣 is used by an official…
- to mean the palace
- to address the ruler
- to address a servant
- to refer to himself before the ruler
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to refer to himself before the ruler Your subject.
Type the pinyin for 在下.
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zàixià Both fourth tone.
The modern way for anyone to say I is…
- 本宫 běngōng
- 在下 zàixià
- 朕 zhèn
- 我 wǒ
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我 Modern Chinese has one I for everyone.
In the dialogue, why does 本宫 disappear?
- rank words are used downwards, and the emperor outranks her
- it only works in the morning
- she forgets it
- it is rude to the maid
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rank words are used downwards, and the emperor outranks her You do not claim rank upwards.
阁下 today is found…
- in text messages
- among friends
- in very formal letters and diplomatic speech
- on menus
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in very formal letters and diplomatic speech Below the pavilion.
Type the Chinese or pinyin for I was wrong.
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wǒ cuò le The modern apology.
Question 1 of 8