宝贝
bǎo bèi
Bae · trad. 寶貝
宝贝 (bǎobèi) is a common and affectionate term of endearment in Chinese, similar to "baby," "babe," or "sweetheart" in English. It's primarily used for romantic partners, but can also be used for children or even pets.
When to use it
Affectionate and informal. It's used between romantic partners or towards children. For a slightly more formal but still affectionate term, you can use 亲爱的 (qīn'ài de), meaning "dear" or "darling." A very casual and often online-used version is 亲 (qīn).
How to pronounce it
Sounds roughly like “BAOW-bay.” The first syllable “BAOW” has a dipping then rising third tone, and the second syllable “bay” is a light, neutral tone.
Other ways to say it
- 亲爱的qīn ài dedear / darling (slightly more formal)
- 亲qīndear / babe (very casual, often online)
- 甜心tián xīnsweetheart
Examples
宝贝，你睡了吗？
bǎo bèi ， nǐ shuì le ma ？
Bae, are you asleep?
谢谢你，宝贝。
xiè xiè nǐ ， bǎo bèi 。
Thank you, bae.
宝贝儿，我们晚上吃什么？
bǎo bèi ér ， wǒ men wǎn shàng chī shén me ？
Babe, what are we eating tonight?
Pro tip: 宝贝 (bǎobèi) can be used for both romantic partners and children, so context is important. Adding an "儿" suffix to make 宝贝儿 (bǎobèir) is a common way to make it sound even more endearing, especially in Northern China.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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