嗨，宝贝
hāi, bǎobèi
The English phrase 'hi, baby' is translated into Chinese as 嗨，宝贝 (hāi, bǎobèi).
嗨，宝贝 is an affectionate greeting used primarily in intimate romantic contexts or when addressing a very young child.
What does it mean word for word?
This phrase is a transliteration of the English greeting 'hi' followed by the Chinese word for 'baby' or 'treasure'.
Which one should you use?
While 宝贝 (bǎobèi) is used here to mean 'baby' in a romantic or parental sense, it can also literally mean 'treasure' or 'precious object' in other contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
hāi, bǎobèi
Did you know?
- In mainland China, some couples use the term 亲 (qīn) as a shorthand for 'dear' or 'baby'. This started as a customer service term on Taobao to make shoppers feel like family.
- In modern Chinese internet slang, the word 宝贝 is often shortened to 宝 (bǎo). This shorter version is used between very close friends and not just romantic partners.
- If you call a person a 宝贝 (bǎobèi) in a non-romantic context, you might accidentally sound like you are being sarcastic or patronizing, as if you are treating them like a precious toy.
Examples in context
- 嗨，亲爱的宝贝！Hi, my beloved baby!
- 嘿，亲爱的！你今天看起来真好看！Hey, my dear! You look really beautiful today!
- 你好啊，宝贝！做好准备，我们要一起探险啦！Hello, baby! Get ready, we're going on an adventure together!
- 嗨，宝贝，你醒了吗？Hāi, bǎobèi, nǐ xǐng le ma?Hi, baby, are you awake?
- 嗨，宝贝，我下班回家了。Hāi, bǎobèi, wǒ xiàbān huí jiā le.Hi, baby, I'm home from work.
- 嗨，宝贝，快过来抱抱。Hāi, bǎobèi, kuài guòlái bào bào.Hi, baby, come here for a hug.
Example conversation
A couple reunites in the living room after a long day.
- 梓涵 Zihan嗨，宝贝，你回来啦。Hāi, bǎobèi, nǐ huí lái la.Hi, baby, you're back.
- 志强 Zhiqiang嗨，宝贝，我好想你。Hāi, bǎobèi, wǒ hǎo xiǎng nǐ.Hi, baby, I missed you so much.
- 梓涵 Zihan我也很想你，志强。Wǒ yě hěn xiǎng nǐ, Zhìqiáng.I missed you too, Zhiqiang.
- 志强 Zhiqiang今天累不累？Jīntiān lèi bù lèi?Were you tired today?
