Useful Chinese Words - Forms of Address - Communications

Forms of Address

The following are traditional forms of address.They were used extensively in prerevolutionary China but fell into disuse, especially during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, when they were condemned as bourgeois.To the extent that they have been uesd at all in recent years, they have been reserved for very famous and high-ranking people.The titles are now making a comeback, however.They are often used to describe foreign guest and in turn may be used to good effect by foreigners-the Chinese rather like hearing these titles,in fact.. It's best not to use TONGZHI "comrade", when speaking with the Chinese, however,even though they tend to use it frequently among themselves; as a guest in their country you are not, strictly speaking, a corade.

Sir
Madame
Miss
Ms.
Comrade

Communications

Do you speak English?
I can speak a little Chinese.
Do you understand?
I understand.
I don't understand.
Let me think.
What ?
What did you say ?
How do you say _____ in Chinese?
What does this ( that ) mean?
Please speak more slowly.
Please repeat.
That is not important.

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