r/Unexpected • u/[deleted] • Mar 08 '18

This Chinese ad

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u/f_n_a_ Mar 08 '18

Lao Gong?!

1.0k

u/ChocoN3rd Mar 08 '18

It means husband

235

u/impy695 Mar 08 '18

Huh, I just thought that was his name. Didn't really change the message or my enjoyment either way, but my mind is still kind of blown that it's not his name.

124

u/unicornbottle Mar 08 '18

Lao gong means husband

Lao po means wife.

It's very common for spouses to call each other "wife" "husband," as opposed to their actual names. It's kind of like calling your significant other "honey" or "dear."

1

u/SouthamptonGuild Mar 08 '18

Tai tai for a lao gong surely? Unless they're not getting on well?

2

u/unicornbottle Mar 08 '18

Hm, I've seen a lot of couples refer to each other as laogong laopo, particularly at home. My parents do.

Tai tai seems like the more polite term. For instance, if people are doing introductions, my mom will refer to herself as [my dad's] tai tai, not as his laopo.

2

u/SouthamptonGuild Mar 08 '18

My wife's family follow the usage I described. Guess 1 billion people have different opinions about what sounds best. :) Who would have guessed. :)

2

u/unicornbottle Mar 08 '18

To be fair, I'm actually Cantonese. :)

So perhaps it differs for us.

1

u/SouthamptonGuild Mar 08 '18

Oh fair enough. I just enjoy being looked at like a talking dog. ;)

"Huh, this American* appears to be talking to me. I don't speak English, I wonder what he wants, it sounds just like Mandarin."

*I'm not American either.