Pet names & terms of endearment in Chinese 情侣昵称
qínglǚ nìchēng
Baby in Chinese is 宝贝 (bǎo bèi).
Also searched for as: terms of endearment, baby, babe, honey, sweetheart, darling.
What couples really call each other. 15 essential pet names & terms of endearment words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
Couples in China rarely use each other's full names. Instead they reach for pet names like 宝贝 (bǎo bèi), "baby" or "treasure", and the cutesier 宝宝 (bǎo bao). Many unmarried couples happily call each other 老公 (lǎo gōng) and 老婆 (lǎo po), "hubby" and "wifey", while playful names such as 猪猪 (zhū zhu) or 傻瓜 (shǎ guā) sound insulting on paper but are full of affection.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 宝贝 | bǎo bèi | baby; darling |
| 宝宝 | bǎo bao | baby (cutesy) |
| 亲爱的 | qīn ài de | darling; honey |
| 老公 | lǎo gōng | hubby (also used for a boyfriend) |
| 老婆 | lǎo po | wifey (also used for a girlfriend) |
| 媳妇 | xí fu | wife; the missus |
| 猪猪 | zhū zhu | piggy (affectionate) |
| 傻瓜 | shǎ guā | silly (affectionate) |
| 小可爱 | xiǎo kě ài | cutie |
| 心肝 | xīn gān | sweetheart (lit. heart and liver) |
| 甜心 | tián xīn | sweetheart |
| 乖 | guāi | good; sweet (of a partner or child) |
| 小哥哥 | xiǎo gē ge | cute guy; (as address) young man |
| 臭宝 | chòu bǎo | babe (lit. stinky treasure; playful) |
| 昵称 | nì chēng | nickname |
Usage tips
- Doubling a syllable makes a name softer and cuter: 宝宝 (bǎo bao), 猪猪 (zhū zhu). Adding 小 (xiǎo), as in 小可爱 (xiǎo kě ài), works the same way.
- 亲爱的 (qīn ài de) is also used by online sellers and customer service as a friendly "dear", so it's less exclusively romantic than "darling" in English.
- 媳妇 (xí fu) is a down-to-earth word for "wife", especially common in northern China. Elsewhere, and among younger couples, 老婆 (lǎo po) is more usual.
Common mistakes
- Learners assume 老公 (lǎo gōng) and 老婆 (lǎo po) mean a couple is married. Young couples use them while dating, so don't be surprised to hear a friend call her boyfriend 老公.
- 傻瓜 (shǎ guā) only sounds affectionate between partners or close family, in a soft tone. Said to a friend or colleague, it simply means "idiot".
Mini dialogue
- A宝贝，你到家了吗？Bǎo bèi, nǐ dào jiā le ma?Babe, are you home yet?
- B到了，老公。你今天加班吗？Dào le, lǎo gōng. Nǐ jīn tiān jiā bān ma?Yes, hubby. Are you working late today?
- A不加班，我还买了你最爱吃的蛋糕。Bù jiā bān, wǒ hái mǎi le nǐ zuì ài chī de dàn gāo.No, and I've bought your favourite cake.
- B哇，今天怎么这么乖？Wā, jīn tiān zěn me zhè me guāi?Wow, why are you being so sweet today?
- A因为想你了呀，小猪猪。Yīn wèi xiǎng nǐ le ya, xiǎo zhū zhu.Because I missed you, little piggy.
Example sentences
- 宝贝，晚饭想吃什么？Babe, what do you want for dinner?
- 宝宝，你到家了吗？Babe, are you home yet?
- 亲爱的，我回来了！Honey, I'm home!
- 老公，帮我拿一下。Hubby, can you grab that for me?
- 老婆，你今天真好看。Wifey, you look gorgeous today.
- 我媳妇做饭特别好吃。My missus is a brilliant cook.
- 你这个小猪猪，又睡懒觉！You little piggy, sleeping in again!
- 傻瓜，我怎么会生你的气？Silly, how could I be angry with you?
- 早安，小可爱！今天也要开心哦！Morning, cutie! Have a great day!
- 你是我的心肝宝贝。You're my precious darling.
- 甜心，生日快乐！Happy birthday, sweetheart!
- 今天怎么这么乖？Why are you being so sweet today?
- 小哥哥，可以加个微信吗？Hey, could I add you on WeChat?
- 臭宝，快起床，要迟到了！Babe, get up, you're going to be late!
- 你给男朋友起了什么昵称？What nickname have you given your boyfriend?
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Pet names & terms of endearment speaking island has 8 everyday questions about pet names & terms of endearment to prepare your own answers to.