爸爸
bàba/pä⁵¹ b̥ä¹/
The English phrase 'papi' can be translated into Chinese as 爸爸 (bàba).
爸爸 is an affectionate term used to refer to a father.
Which one should you use?
父亲 is the formal term for father, whereas 爸 is an informal term similar to 'daddy' or 'dad' in English.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is bàba.
Did you know?
- While 'papi' in English is often a term of endearment for a romantic partner, using 爸爸 in a similar way in Chinese can carry a very different, often much more suggestive or specific social connotation.
- The character 父 in the formal word 父亲 is a pictograph that originally depicted a hand holding a stick or a tool, symbolizing authority.
- In modern internet slang, some young people use 爸爸 ironically to refer to someone who has a lot of money or power over them, similar to calling someone 'boss' in English.
Examples in context
- 我爸爸很喜欢下棋。Wǒ bàba hěn xǐhuān xiàqí.My father loves playing chess.
- 爸爸，我爱你。Bàba, wǒ ài nǐ.Dad, I love you.
- 他爸爸在医院工作。Tā bàba zài yīyuàn gōngzuò.His father works at the hospital.
Example conversation
A young girl is talking to her father at home.
- 雨婷 Yuting爸爸，你帮我吧！Bàba, nǐ bāng wǒ ba!Daddy, please help me!
- 俊杰 Junjie好的，雨婷，我来帮你。Hǎo de, Yǔtíng, wǒ lái bāng nǐ.Okay, Yuting, I'll help you.
- 雨婷 Yuting谢谢爸爸！Xièxiè bàba!Thank you, Daddy!
- 俊杰 Junjie不客气，宝贝。Bú kèqì, bǎobèi.You're welcome, sweetheart.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 爸爸, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
