宝贝
bǎobèi
The English phrase "babe" is translated into Chinese as 宝贝 (bǎobèi).
宝贝 is most commonly used as a term of endearment for a romantic partner or a young child. While it can refer to an attractive person, it is almost always used between people who have an established intimate or familial relationship.
Meaning: attractive person (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 宝贝 is composed of 宝 (treasure) and 贝 (shell/treasure), literally meaning "precious treasure."
Which one should you use?
The form 小宝贝 literally translates to "little treasure" or "little babe" and is used in a cute and affectionate way.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using 宝贝 to refer to an attractive person is highly informal and carries a sense of intimacy or affection.
How do you pronounce it?
bǎobèi
Did you know?
- Using 小宝贝 for an adult romantic partner is an example of 'sǎjiāo', a cultural behavior where one acts childishly to show affection or get their way.
- While 宝贝 is the standard for 'babe', some couples use the term 亲 (short for 'dear') which originated as a polite greeting on e-commerce sites like Taobao before becoming a romantic term.
- The second character in 宝贝, 贝, originally referred to a cowrie shell, which was used as currency in ancient China.
Examples in context
- 亲爱的，请帮我一下。(Qīn ài de, qǐng bāng wǒ yī xià.)Dear, please help me for a moment.
- 宝贝，你今天看起来很漂亮。(Bǎo bèi, nǐ jīn tiān kàn qǐ lái hěn piào liang.)Babe, you look beautiful today.
- 谢谢你，心肝宝贝。(Xiè xie nǐ, xīn gān bǎo bèi.)Thank you, my sweetheart.
- 小宝贝，你真可爱。(Xiǎo bǎo bèi, nǐ zhēn kě ài.)Little babe, you're so adorable.
- 宝宝，我们一起去吃饭吧。(Bǎo bǎo, wǒ men yī qǐ qù chī fàn ba.)Baby, let's go grab a meal together.
Example conversation
A couple is getting ready for a date.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我穿这件衣服好看吗？Wǒ chuān zhè jiàn yīfú hǎokàn ma?Do I look good in these clothes?
- 俊杰 Junjie我的宝贝永远是最美的。Wǒ de bǎobèi yǒngyuǎn shì zuì měi de.My babe is always the most beautiful.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你总是这么会说话。Nǐ zǒngshì zhème huì shuōhuà.You always know exactly what to say.
- 俊杰 Junjie因为那是事实，宝贝。Yīnwèi nà shì shìshí, bǎobèi.Because it's the truth, babe.
