Invitation to law school graduation

[KyleGoetz]

Hi.

I'm graduating from law school in a couple weeks and had the idea (girlfriend supports it) that I write a simple Chinese invitation to her parents (they are from Taiwan) to my graduation.

I had one semester of Chinese back in undergrad, so I think this is a proper way to inviting them. Could someone confirm?

I have chosen 請您們來我的畢業

Is this correct? I'm not looking for something literary. The context is "Kyle is writing this. He has one semester of Chinese, can say a few things, but has excellent ability to actually write hanzi because he has very good Japanese. I think maybe "I cordially invite you to attend my graduation" or something similar in Chinese would not be preferable in my case, because I think they'd prefer to read something I did rather than something I had another person do for me.

Thank you!

[renzhe]

I'd expand it to 請您們來參加我的畢業典禮, but it's still a bit bare-bones.

Definitely wait for a native speaker to OK it. When dealing with your girlfriend's parents, not offending them is more important than proper grammar

[poplar_y]

衷心希望二老能参加我的毕业典礼 is enough. why dont you ask your gf:wink:

[KyleGoetz]

I'll wait around for a native speaker, but in the meantime, thank you.

I recognize 參加 from Japanese as "to participate." Babelfish reveals 典禮 as ceremony. So "Please come and participate in my graduation ceremony."

I'm concerned though with the idea of "participate" being used. At our ceremony, everyone only watches. Is it still acceptable to use that verb?

What about substituting 參加 with 看見 or 觀看 or something? This is now venturing outside the realm of my Chinese remembrances: I can't remember the exact usage or implications of either of those two "viewing" verbs.

Thanks.

[KyleGoetz]

I don't ask my girlfriend because her native language is Spanish, not Chinese. Her parents were diplomats from Taiwan, so she grew up in foreign countries and I think has only been to Taiwan once her entire life for a week or so.

To display her level of Chinese, she told me my proposed phrase was OK, but that I should check with a native speaker.

[Aixer]

參加 can also be translated as "to attend" so it works.In fact, replacing it with 看見 would be extremely awkward.

[renzhe]

參加 is fine. It basically means "take part" here. You can 參加 somebody's wedding, etc. It is used for ceremonies in general, people will know what sort of participation is expected

[tooironic]

Indeed 参加 is a very common, all-purpose verb. In Chinese you 参加 a party, even though a literal translation into English - "participate in a party" - would sound bizarre (also why so many English speakers from China stuff that one up when talking about parties).

[sea-au-don]

The closest thing that comes to mind based on your text is 请二老来观礼. If expand it, say 衷心请二老来观看我的毕业典礼. That’s my advice as a native speaker.