Confusion about Lu Han's name / other Chinese things with EXO-M
Just wanted to make some explanations ~
1. Lu Han’s name: ‘Lù/鹿/Deer' is Lu Han’s last name, and 'Hán/晗/Dawn’ is his first name. Some are rumoring that his last name is “Xi”, but this is mistaken. Lu Han listed on his JYP audition profile as 'Lu Han’.
The reason for confusion is probably because it is more typical for Chinese people to have a two character first name (for example, Huang Zi Tao). A single character first name is rather modern and not so typical.
However, while people who know Tao may call him just 'Zi Tao’, people will not call Lu Han just 'Han’ unless they are very, very close to him (like a girlfriend ~ probably not even classmates or friends who aren’t close). That is the difference between a single and a two character first name.
2. Stage names: Because I mention Tao, I may as well talk about stage names.. xD You may notice that some Chinese fanchants use real names instead of stage names. Cpop is not so strict about sticking to stage names~ (I think every M member has slipped except Kris. Even Lay pauses for a second before his own introduction. ^^;) In Cpop, especially if the stage name is a Western-sounding name, an artist may go by both the stage name and their real name depending on the host/themselves. (I’ve heard Rainie Yang being called as 'Raine’ as well as 'Cheng Lin’.) Maybe SM management won’t care so much if the members and fans don’t always use stage names?
3. Gege vs. oppa: Fans don’t call their idols gēgē/哥哥(unless it's playfully or part of a nickname - see below). But since EXO-M is part Korean, I don’t know how this situation will be.
Like 'oppa’, for 'gege’, you use it for older guys in your family, and also people outside of your actual family: guys who are close to you like your own brother and people you show friendly respect to (like a family friend, who you would call 'name-gege’). You can also use it to casually refer to a stranger in conversation (“That gege over there”).
Also, 'ge’ can be part of a nickname (like Kris: Niú Zǎi Gē/牛仔哥/Jeans oppa ~ Chinese fans used to call him this when they didn’t know his name).
However, unlike 'oppa’, people usually don’t call their boyfriends 'gege’ because it sounds a little strange (flirty in a submissive way). Playfully you might refer to a guy as 'ge’ or 'dage/大哥’.
Also, 'gege’ can be said by both male and female.
Sorry for the long post, thank you if you read it. ^^
