老公
lǎogōng/lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵/
The English phrase "hubby" is translated into Chinese as 老公 (lǎogōng).
老公 is a colloquial and affectionate term used to refer to a husband.
Meaning: husband (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 老公 is the common way to refer to a husband in casual speech, the term 丈夫 (zhàngfu) is the formal term used in official or written contexts. Additionally, the common informal counterpart for "wife" is 老婆.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
老公 is an informal and intimate term used by wives to refer to their husbands in daily conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is lǎogōng.
Did you know?
- In modern internet slang, some users use 老公 to refer to their favorite male celebrities or fictional characters as a way of expressing intense fandom.
- In historical dramas, you will rarely hear 老公 because the term became popular in its current romantic sense much later than the imperial eras depicted.
- The term 老公 is used regardless of the husband's actual age, meaning a twenty-year-old bride still calls her groom 老公.
Examples in context
- 我爱你，老公！I love you, hubby!
- 我老公很体贴。Wǒ lǎogōng hěn tǐtiē.My hubby is very considerate.
- 我老公想吃火锅。Wǒ lǎogōng xiǎng chī huǒguō.My hubby wants to eat hotpot.
Example conversation
At a cafe, Jia Yi is telling Hao Ran about her husband.
- 佳怡 Jiayi浩然，我老公最近很忙。Hàorán, wǒ lǎogōng zuìjìn hěn máng.Hao Ran, my hubby has been very busy lately.
- 浩然 Haoran他是因为工作吗？Tā shì yīnwèi gōngzuò ma?Is it because of work?
- 佳怡 Jiayi对，他经常加班。Duì, tā jīngcháng jiābān.Yes, he often works overtime.
- 浩然 Haoran那你要多照顾他。Nà nǐ yào duō zhàogù tā.Then you should take good care of him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 老公, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
