乾爹 / 干爹
gāndiē
The English word 'godfather' is translated into Chinese as 乾爹 / 干爹 (gāndiē). If unsure, use 乾爹 / 干爹. Wiktionary also lists 代父 (dàifù).
Meaning: man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 乾爹 / 干爹 | gāndiē |
| 代父 | dàifù |
The term refers to a man present at the christening of a baby who promises to help raise the child in a Christian manner. In modern colloquial Chinese, however, 干爹 (gāndiē) is often used to refer to an older man who provides financial or social support to a younger person, sometimes outside of a religious context.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 干爹 (gāndiē) is composed of 干 (gān), meaning 'dry' or 'non-biological/socially-related' and 爹 (diē), meaning 'father'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a godfather directly, one typically uses the term 干爹 (gāndiē) as a title rather than using a name.
How do you pronounce it?
gāndiē
Did you know?
- In modern Chinese internet slang, the term 干爹 can take on a predatory or scandalous nuance. It is often used to describe an older man who provides financial support to a much younger woman in a non-platonic or transactional way.
- While English speakers use 'godfather' for crime bosses, Chinese speakers do not typically use 干爹 to describe a mafia leader.
- Chinese culture uses a vast system of 'pseudo-kinship' terms. This means people use family titles like 干爹 for non-relatives to signal a high level of social closeness, respect, or a specific type of bonded relationship.
Examples in context
- 我很感谢我的干爹在我生意上的帮助。I'm very grateful for my godfather's help in my business.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “godfather” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
