Funny Chinese Nicknames: 40 Affectionate, Silly, and Cute Names (With Meanings)

沉浸 TeamSeptember 3, 202611 min read

Funny Chinese nicknames are everywhere in Chinese life: at the dinner table, in group chats, between classmates, and between couples. This list gives you 40 of the most common ones, with characters, pinyin, the literal meaning, and a note on who says them to whom.

The quick answer first: the Chinese word for nickname is 外号 (wàihào, "nickname") or, especially online, 昵称 (nìchēng, "pet name"). Most Chinese nicknames are built from one of four pieces: 小 (xiǎo, "little"), 老 (lǎo, "old"), 阿 (ā, a friendly prefix), or a doubled syllable like Lèle. Once you know those patterns, most of the names below will make sense on sight.

One rule before we start: every nickname here is affectionate. Chinese nicknames often point at a trait (chubby, sleepy, clumsy) that might sound rude in English, but between family and close friends they're warm, not mean. We'll flag the ones you should keep for people you know well.

How Chinese nicknames work: the four patterns

Nicknames in Chinese follow a few simple templates. If you understand these, you can read almost any nickname and even build your own (more on that near the end).

1. 小 + a character from the name

Add 小 (xiǎo, "little") in front of one character from someone's given name. A boy named 王明 becomes 小明 (Xiǎo Míng), a girl named 李丽 becomes 小丽 (Xiǎo Lì). Parents, teachers, and older relatives use this for kids and young adults. It's the most common nickname pattern in the country.

2. 老 + surname

Among adults, especially coworkers and old friends, you put 老 (lǎo, "old") in front of the family name: 老王 (Lǎo Wáng), 老李 (Lǎo Lǐ). It doesn't mean the person is elderly. It means "we go way back." Learn the most common family names in our guide to Chinese surnames.

3. 阿 + a character

阿 (ā) is a soft, friendly prefix that's most popular in southern China and in Cantonese-speaking areas. 阿强 (Ā Qiáng) or 阿珍 (Ā Zhēn) sound casual and close, like calling someone by a short form of their name in English.

4. Doubling a syllable

Repeat one character and you get an instant cute name: 乐乐 (Lèle, "happy-happy"), 圆圆 (Yuányuán, "round-round"), 妞妞 (Niūniu, "little girl"). This is the go-to pattern for babies, toddlers, and pets, and many people keep their doubled baby name into adulthood.

If you want the full background on given names, generation names, and how the whole system fits together, read our Chinese names guide and how Chinese names work.

Funny Chinese nicknames for friends and family

These are the names you'll hear between siblings, cousins, roommates, and old classmates. Most describe a personality quirk or a habit. Said with a grin, they're a sign of closeness.

小胖 (xiǎo pàng, "Little Fatty"): built from 小 and 胖 (pàng, "chubby"). A classic family nickname for a chubby kid or a well-fed friend. It's fond, not an insult, but only from people who know you well. Don't use it on a stranger or a coworker.
胖墩 (pàngdūn, "chubby little block"): a sturdy, roly-poly kid. Grandparents love this one.
大头 (dàtóu, "Big Head"): for someone with a big head, or a big brain, depending on who's talking. Friends and siblings.
傻瓜 (shǎguā, "silly melon"): the most common way to call someone a lovable dummy. Friends, family, and couples all use it.
笨蛋 (bèndàn, "dumb egg"): "you goof." Slightly sharper than 傻瓜, still playful between close people.
呆瓜 (dāiguā, "dopey melon"): for the friend who stares into space and misses the joke.
二货 (èrhuò, "goofball"): the number two, 二 (èr), is slang for "a bit silly" in northern China, so a 二货 is the class clown of the friend group.
皮猴 (píhóu, "naughty monkey"): from 皮 (pí, "naughty") and 猴 (hóu, "monkey"). Parents say this about a kid who can't sit still.
淘气包 (táoqìbāo, "bundle of mischief"): another parent favorite for a little troublemaker.
开心果 (kāixīnguǒ, "pistachio," literally "happy fruit"): the person who makes everyone laugh. One of the nicest things you can be called.
吃货 (chīhuò, "foodie"): someone who lives to eat. People proudly call themselves this.
学霸 (xuébà, "study tyrant"): the top student who crushes every exam. It's a compliment.
学渣 (xuézhā, "study slacker"): the opposite of 学霸, said with a shrug and a laugh, usually about yourself.
夜猫子 (yèmāozi, "night cat," meaning night owl): the roommate who's still awake at 3 a.m.
睡神 (shuìshén, "sleep god"): the friend who can sleep anywhere, anytime.
路痴 (lùchī, "road idiot"): someone with no sense of direction. Very common, and people say it about themselves cheerfully.
社恐 (shèkǒng, short for "social phobia"): internet slang for a shy, socially anxious person. Lots of young people use it as a self-label. See more of these in our guide to Chinese slang.

Cute Chinese nicknames from food and animals

If you want cute Chinese nicknames, look in the kitchen and the zoo. Round, soft, and squishy things make the best pet names, and food-based nicknames are a huge part of daily life in China. These work for kids, pets, partners, and best friends.

包子 (bāozi, "steamed bun"): for someone with round, soft cheeks. Extremely common for babies.
饺子 (jiǎozi, "dumpling"): small, plump, and lovable. Also a popular pet name for cats and dogs.
汤圆 (tāngyuán, "sweet rice ball"): round and sweet, so it means "my little sweetheart." (Tangyuan are the treat eaten at the Lantern Festival.)
豆豆 (Dòudou, "little bean"): from 豆 (dòu, "bean"). A very common doubled baby name.
糖糖 (Tángtang, "sugar-sugar"): from 糖 (táng, "sugar"). For a sweet little girl.
猪猪 / 小猪 (zhūzhū / xiǎo zhū, "piggy"): built on 猪 (zhū, "pig"). In Chinese, pigs are cute, lazy, and lucky, not dirty, so this is one of the warmest pet names there is. Couples use it all the time.
熊 (xióng, "bear") and 小熊 (xiǎo xióng, "little bear"): for a big, cuddly person, or a mischievous kid (熊孩子 is slang for a "wild child").
二哈 (èrhā, "husky"): a husky dog, and by extension a lovable goofball who's big-hearted and a little dim. Said about friends with a lot of affection.
兔子 (tùzi, "bunny"): for someone gentle and a bit timid, or just cute.
球球 (Qiúqiu, "little ball"): from 球 (qiú, "ball"). A round pet or a round baby.
肉肉 (Ròurou, "meaty"): from 肉 (ròu, "meat"). It means chubby in a squeezable, adorable way. Mostly for babies and pets.

Curious why food shows up so much in Chinese affection? Our post on Chinese snacks covers the foods behind half these names.

Chinese nicknames for your boyfriend or girlfriend

Chinese pet names for couples range from the sweet and obvious to some that sound like insults until you understand the joke. Here are the ones you'll hear most, whether you're looking for Chinese nicknames for your boyfriend or for your girlfriend.

宝贝 (bǎobèi, "treasure," used like "baby"): the number one pet name for a partner. Works for either gender.
宝宝 (bǎobao, "baby"): even softer than 宝贝. Very common in texts.
亲爱的 (qīn'ài de, "dear," "darling"): the standard "honey." Also used at the start of letters.
老公 (lǎogōng, "husband") and 老婆 (lǎopo, "wife"): married words, but plenty of dating couples use them too, half as a joke and half as a promise.
心肝 / 小心肝 (xīngān / xiǎo xīngān, "my heart and liver"): it sounds strange in English, but in Chinese the liver stands for what's most precious to you. It means "my darling."
死鬼 (sǐguǐ, "you devil"): a playful scold, like "you rascal," usually from a woman to her partner. Said with a smile.
冤家 (yuānjia, "my sworn enemy"): an old-fashioned lovers' word that means "the one I'm fated to fight with and can't stay away from." Romantic, in a dramatic way.
小仙女 (xiǎo xiānnǚ, "little fairy"): from 仙女 (xiānnǚ, "fairy"). For a girlfriend who's pretty and a little magical.
猪猪 (zhūzhū, "piggy"): yes, again. Between couples it means "my cute lazy one."
傻瓜 (shǎguā, "silly melon"): when your partner says it softly, it means "you're adorable and I love you." Context is everything.

Want to say the real thing? Read our guide to how to say I love you in Chinese. And if you're learning for someone special, see learning Chinese for your partner.

Nicknames people give themselves online

Chinese internet culture has a whole set of self-mocking labels. They're funny because they're honest, and they spread fast on social media.

打工人 (dǎgōngrén, "worker"): "just a working stiff." Office workers say it about themselves with a sigh.
干饭人 (gànfànrén, "rice eater"): someone whose main goal in life is the next meal. A cousin of 吃货.
社畜 (shèchù, "corporate livestock"): borrowed from Japanese, a dark joke about being worked like an animal by your company.
大佬 (dàlǎo, "big boss") and 大神 (dàshén, "great god"): what you call someone who's amazing at something, whether it's coding, gaming, or cooking.
菜鸟 (càiniǎo, "vegetable bird," meaning rookie): the opposite of a 大神. Beginners at anything happily call themselves this.

There are dozens more like these, from 666 to yyds, in our roundup of Chinese internet slang, and the sticker side of it in Chinese emojis.

Build your own Chinese nickname

People search for a "Chinese nickname generator," but you don't need a tool. Nicknames follow patterns, and you can build one in three steps. Think of this as a generator that runs in your head.

Pick a pattern. 小 + a character (sweet, for younger people), 老 + a surname (friendly, for adults), 阿 + a character (casual, southern flavor), or a doubled syllable (cute, for kids, pets, and partners).
Pick a trait, a food, or an animal. Chubby cheeks? 包子. Always hungry? 吃货. Never sleeps? 夜猫子. Soft and round? 球球. If you're using a real Chinese given name, one character from it works too: 小 + the last character is the safest bet.
Check the tone with a native speaker. Some combinations sound fine and some sound like something else entirely. A quick "does this sound okay?" to a Chinese friend saves you from a name that's funnier than you intended.

Then listen to it. Our free Chinese name pronunciation tool lets you hear any name or nickname spoken aloud so you get the tones right. And if you'd rather start from a real given name and shorten it, browse Chinese boy names and Chinese girl names for ideas.

One last tip on manners: 小胖, 大头, 笨蛋, and friends are for people who already like you. Start with the sweet ones (宝贝, 乐乐, 小 + name) and let the teasing ones come once you're close. That's how it works in Chinese culture: the sillier the nickname, the closer the friendship.

Hear every nickname pronounced

A free Chenjin account lets you hear every linked word in this article pronounced, save the ones you want as flashcards, and practice the tones with the Tone Coach so 宝贝 and 笨蛋 never get mixed up.

FAQ

What are some cute Chinese nicknames?

The cutest ones are doubled syllables and food names: 乐乐 (Lèle, "happy"), 豆豆 (Dòudou, "little bean"), 包子 (bāozi, "steamed bun"), 汤圆 (tāngyuán, "sweet rice ball"), and 猪猪 (zhūzhū, "piggy"). For a partner, 宝贝 (bǎobèi, "treasure") and 宝宝 (bǎobao, "baby") are the most common.

What do Chinese couples call each other?

Most often 宝贝 (bǎobèi), 宝宝 (bǎobao), and 亲爱的 (qīn'ài de, "dear"). Many dating couples also use 老公 (lǎogōng, "husband") and 老婆 (lǎopo, "wife") before they're married. Playful ones include 傻瓜 (shǎguā, "silly melon"), 猪猪 (zhūzhū, "piggy"), and 死鬼 (sǐguǐ, "you devil").

Is it rude to call someone 小胖?

It depends entirely on your relationship. Among family and close friends, 小胖 (xiǎo pàng, "Little Fatty") is a warm, familiar nickname, and many people grew up with it. Used on a stranger, a coworker, or someone you've just met, it's rude. Wait until you're close, and follow their lead.

What does 阿 mean in a Chinese name?

阿 (ā) doesn't have a meaning of its own in a name. It's a friendly prefix that makes a name sound casual and close, similar to shortening "Michael" to "Mike." It's especially common in southern China and Cantonese-speaking areas, as in 阿强 (Ā Qiáng) or 阿珍 (Ā Zhēn).

What is the Chinese word for nickname?

外号 (wàihào) is the everyday word for a nickname, especially one your friends gave you. 昵称 (nìchēng) is a "pet name" and is also the word used for usernames and display names on apps.