爸爸
bàba
The Chinese word for dad is 爸爸 (bàba). Wiktionary also lists 爸 (bà) and 爹 (diē).
Meaning: informal: a father (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 爸爸 | bàba |
| 爸 | bà |
| 爹 | diē |
爸爸 is used as a direct address (vocative) and also as a noun to refer to one's father in third-person descriptions.
Which one should you use?
While 爸爸 is the standard way for children and adults to address their father, 爸 is a more clipped, casual version often used in direct address. The form 爹 is archaic or used in period dramas and literature, rather than in modern daily conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word 爸 is an informal way to say dad.
How does it change in a sentence?
The second syllable in 爸爸 is typically pronounced with a neutral tone, meaning it is shorter and lacks a specific pitch contour.
How do you pronounce it?
bàba
Did you know?
- The archaic word for father 爹 may have been borrowed from an ancient Turkic word ata, which meant 'father'.
- In traditional Chinese culture, it was historically common for children to address their father using a title based on his rank or position rather than a kinship term like 爸爸.
- In many Chinese households, the word 爸爸 is often combined with the father's surname or a nickname to distinguish him from other fathers in an extended family.
Examples in context
- 爸爸去哪了?Where did dad go?Tatoeba #3147854 by cienias, translation #318877 by minshirui
- 你爸爸在哪？Where is your dad?Tatoeba #13189733 by LeviHighway, translation #13189643 by ecorralest101
- 爸，你干啥呢？What are you doing, Dad?Tatoeba #4265109 by notabene, translation #64110 by CK
- Wǒ ài wǒ de bàba. (我爱我的爸爸)I love my dad.
- Wǒmen zǎoshang hé bàba qù kàn le yī bù diànyǐng. (我们早上和爸爸去看了一部电影)We went to see a movie with dad in the morning.
- Yěyé, xièxiè nǐ xiǎngjiàn wǒ de fùqīn. (爷爷，谢谢你想见我的父亲)Grandpa, thank you for wanting to meet my father.
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their families at school.
- 浩然 Haoran你爸爸是老师吗？Nǐ bàba shì lǎoshī ma?Is your dad a teacher?
- 雨婷 Yuting不是，他是一个医生。Bú shì, tā shì yí gè yīshēng.No, he is a doctor.
- 浩然 Haoran我爸爸也是医生。Wǒ bàba yě shì yīshēng.My dad is also a doctor.
- 雨婷 Yuting真的吗？太巧了！Zhēn de ma? Tài qiǎo le!Really? What a coincidence!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dad” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 爸, 爹, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
