The honorific line break

Why justifying the last line before a line break can be a bad idea

In Chinese, a line break can serve as an honorific marker. This usage is a traditional notation called 平抬 (píngtái / ping4toi4, loosely “flush-to-margin as formula of respect”) and it is still very much in current use. It is used in both personal and formal letters.

In current usage, the honorific line break has only two uses in letters:

  1. In the blessing in the closing of informal and informal-styled semi-formal letters, between the word (zhù / zuk1, “I bless [wish] you”) and the actual formula of blessing.
  2. In the address to the recipient (which is in the closing) of formal and formal-styled semi-formal letters, between the phrase 此致 (cǐ zhì / ci2 zi3, “This I address to”) and the name of the recipient.

The line just before the honorific line break is never justified; the respect is shown by the break in the line, and this break must be clearly seen.

Other honorific notations

In addition to the honorific line break, there is also the honorific fullwidth space. Traditionally, there are other notations — involving both line breaks and outdents — for indicating additional levels of respect. However, these other notations have largely fallen out of use; the honorific full-width space and the honorific line break are the only notations still in common use.