Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 寶貝 / 宝贝 | bǎobèi |
| 親愛的 / 亲爱的 | |
| 心肝 | xīngān |
| 心肝寶貝 / 心肝宝贝 | xīngān bǎobèi |
寶貝 / 宝贝 is a common way to refer to a 'treasure' or 'baby', typically used for children or romantic partners. 心肝寶貝 / 心肝宝贝 is used to express extreme affection towards a child or a very precious lover. The term 親愛的 / 亲爱的 can function as both a noun meaning 'darling' and an adjective meaning 'dear' or 'beloved'.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 寶貝 / 宝贝 literally means 'treasure' or 'baby'. The term 心肝 literally translates to 'heart and liver', referring to one's most vital organs.
Which one should you use?
While 寶貝 / 宝贝 is often used for children or romantic partners, 親愛的 / 亲爱的 is a more versatile term for 'dear' that can be used in both romantic and formal letter-writing contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
寶貝 / 宝贝 is highly informal and is commonly used between romantic partners or by parents to their children. Similarly, 甜心 is an informal term meaning 'sweetheart' used among close friends and romantic partners. In contrast, 親愛的 / 亲爱的 can be used in formal letter-writing contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
親愛的 / 亲爱的 can function as both a noun (darling) and an adjective (dear/beloved).
How do you pronounce it?
bǎobèi
Did you know?
- In modern internet slang, 親 is often used by online shopkeepers as a shortened version of 親愛的 to create a friendly and intimate rapport with customers.
- The term 心肝 / 心肝 refers to the 'heart' and 'liver', which were historically considered the most vital organs in traditional Chinese medicine. To call someone your 'heart and liver' is to say they are essential to your very survival.
- If you use 親愛的 / 亲爱的 in a written letter to a stranger, it functions as a polite 'Dear', but if you say it out loud to a stranger in a shop, it could be interpreted as a flirtatious advances.
Examples in context
- 亲爱的，你对我来说非常重要。Darling, you mean a lot to me.
- 亲爱的人，谢谢你一直支持我。Darling, thank you for always supporting me.
- 宝贝，你今天看起来很漂亮。Darling, you look beautiful today.
- 甜心，你是我生命中最重要的人。Darling, you are the most important person in my life.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “darling” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
