猶子
Chinese
| as if; still | child; son; (noun suffix) child; son; (noun suffix); small thing; seed; egg; 1st earthly branch; 11 p.m.–1 a.m., midnight | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (猶子) | 猶 | 子 | |
| simp. (犹子) | 犹 | 子 | |
| Literally: “comparable to one's own child/son”. | |||
Etymology
Originally from a passage from the Liji (《禮記》) in the context of the proper rites of mourning:
- 喪服，兄弟之子猶子也，蓋引而進之也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Book of Rites, c. 4th – 2nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Sāngfú, xiōngdì zhī zǐ yóu zǐ yě, gài yǐn ér jìnzhī yě. [Pinyin]
- The mourning worn for the son of a brother should be the same as for one's own son: the object being to bring him still nearer to one's self.
丧服，兄弟之子犹子也，盖引而进之也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Gradually the phrase was taken out of its original context and became idiomatic, despite (prescriptionist) objections from classical scholars.[1] For non-idiomatic usages, see the individual characters 猶, 子.
Pronunciation
Noun
猶子
- nephew (son of a brother)
- 拿破侖一世破壞法蘭西共和，帝制自為，身敗名辱。其猶子拿破侖三世，仍明目張膽，蹈其覆轍。 [MSC, trad.]
- From: 1916, Ch'en Tu-hsiu (陳獨秀), The Resurrection of Yuan Shih-k'ai (《袁世凱復活》).
- Nápòlún Yīshì pòhuài Fǎlánxī gònghé, dìzhì zìwéi, shēnbài míngrǔ. Qí yóuzǐ Nápòlún Sānshì, réng míngmùzhāngdǎn, dǎo qí fùzhé. [Pinyin]
- Napoleon I betrayed the French republic and crowned himself Emperor; he ended up defeated and disgraced. Yet his nephew, Napoleon III, still brazenly followed his footprints to the ruinous end.
拿破仑一世破坏法兰西共和，帝制自为，身败名辱。其犹子拿破仑三世，仍明目张胆，蹈其覆辙。 [MSC, simp.]
- (uncommon) niece
References
- 黎靖德, et al., editor (c. 13th–17th century), 朱子語類 [A Collection of Conversations of Master Zhu] (in Chinese), ctp:n597013, 禮四·小戴禮·檀弓上: “今人呼兄弟之子為「猶子」，非是。”
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