Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 爸爸 | baa¹ baa¹ |
| 阿爸 | aa³ baa¹ |
| 爹哋 | de¹ di⁶ |
These terms are used to refer to a father in an informal or colloquial setting.
Which one should you use?
爸爸 is a common, affectionate way to say "dad" or "daddy" used by children or in a warm family context. 阿爸 is a more colloquial and slightly more mature way to refer to one's father compared to the repetitive 爸爸. 爹哋 is a transliteration of the English word "daddy" and is used primarily by young children or in a playful, Westernized context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
父親 (fu6can1) is a formal way of addressing your father. For casual and everyday speech, you can use 爸爸, 阿爸 or the casual term 爸. 爹哋 is informal.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 阿爸 to refer to your own father in a sentence, you often add the possessive particle 我嘅 (ngo5 ge3) or simply 我 (ngo5) before it, as in 我阿爸 (my dad).
How do you pronounce it?
baa¹ baa¹
Did you know?
- While 爸爸 is the standard term for 'dad', some families use the very colloquial 老豆 (lou5 dau3), which literally translates to 'old bean'.
- The term 爹哋 is a phonetic loan from the English word 'daddy' and is often associated with a privileged or upper-class upbringing in Hong Kong.
- In some traditional households, a wife may address her husband as 阿爸 when speaking to their children to emphasize his role as the father.
Examples in context
- 我嗰陣成日同我阿爸去睇戲。I often went to the movies with dad.This sentence shows how to use 阿爸 when talking about going to the movies with your dad.Tatoeba #5795851 by nickyeow, translation #5269828 by Lindoula
- 阿爸返到屋企嗰陣，我喺度睇緊電視。When Dad came home, I was watching TV.This sentence demonstrates using 阿爸 to describe a father coming home.Tatoeba #435234 by nickyeow, translation #64101 by CK
- 我阿爸買咗部模型飛機俾我做聖誕禮物。My dad bought a model plane for me for Christmas.This sentence illustrates using 阿爸 in the context of a father buying a gift.Tatoeba #585752 by nickyeow, translation #318982 by CK
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their family members at a cafe.
- 家明 Ka Ming你爸爸今日點呀？nei5 baa1 baa1 gam1 jat6 dim2 aa3?How is your dad today?
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan我爸爸身體好咗好多。ngo5 baa1 baa1 san1 tai2 hou2 zo2 hou2 do1.My dad is feeling much better.
- 家明 Ka Ming咁好呀，真係好高興。gam2 hou2 aa3, zan1 hai6 hou2 gou1 hing3.That's great, I'm really happy to hear that.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan多謝你嘅關心。do1 ze6 nei5 ge3 gwaan1 sam1.Thank you for your concern.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dad” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
