A5: The Adjective, Filial

    This word, “filial,” has two meanings. If we look it up in a dictionary, we realize one meaning is being a son or a daughter of parents; the other is showing devotion and reverence to parents. In the following, I’m going to discuss the second meaning and what a person looks like when being filial from my viewpoint.

    “Filial” could be put before affection and obedience and form phrases, that is, filial affection and filial obedience. Filial affection means that a person has a heart of love toward his or her parents. Meanwhile, filial obedience indicates that a person follows what his or her parents ask him or her to do; in this situation, the person usually considers his or her parents’ advice is right without questioning it.

    I’d like to talk about what I have in my mind about being filial. A person always obeys his or her parents and avoids arguments. Do we regard him or her as a filial son or daughter? My answer to this question is definitely “No.” A person would listen to his or her parents and ponder whether their advice is worth taking or not. If he or she thinks the suggestion is beneficial to him or her, they will follow what their parents tell them. If he or she thinks the advice is wrong, they will try to convey their ideas and tell their parents what they consider and they must be grateful to their parents because they are willing to hear their child’s opinion, not force him or her to obey them all the time. This sort of person is filial in my perspective. I judge whether a person is filial not by his or her obedience to their parents but by his or her gratitude to them.

    Different people give various definitions of “filial.” From my standpoint, my parents have raised me since I was in my mom’s womb. Once I have the capacity for making a living, it is time for me to raise them. I will give my parents what they give me in my early life. That is what I think to be filial.