# My boo



## AlexTheFrog

Hello there/Ni hao

How would you say my "boo" - to name your girl friend ? 
I know it exists Ai ren but I am looking for something more personal ... 

Any idea ?


Alex


----------



## no9ronaldo

Don't be alarmed, according to my expierence (though might be limited), 
I have to tell you that a quite lot of youngsters nowadays in china, are inclined to call their girlfriends "老婆lao3po2", which is the personal expression of "wife" (while the formal one is "妻子qi1zi3").


----------



## midismilex

我(my)＂馬子＂（boo)。


----------



## no9ronaldo

midismilex said:


> 我(my)＂馬子＂（boo)。



Hey midismilex! wouldn't 馬子 be too much a gangster parlance? I think if any ordinary man is calling her girlfriend 馬子 in her face, the girl will definately go mad!


----------



## midismilex

no9ronaldo said:


> Hey midismilex! wouldn't 馬子 be too much a gangster parlance? I think if any ordinary man is calling her girlfriend 馬子 in her face, the girl will definately go mad!



But, it's very common language for young people here.


----------



## midismilex

no9ronaldo said:


> Hey midismilex! wouldn't 馬子 be too much a gangster parlance? I think if any ordinary man is calling her girlfriend 馬子 in her face, the girl will definately go mad!



"妞＂, perhaps would happen the situation like what you said in the quote.


----------



## SuperXW

I don't know about the English slang "boo". But I know both 馬子 and 妞 are sort of offensive terms which are often used by gansters and could result a slap on your face...<br>
Ai ren is only used in very formal occasions when the speaker introduce his ligal wife to a third person... <br>
I agree with no9, lao3po2 is the current popular nickname for one's girlfriend in Mainland China.<br>
Funny, when they really get married,&nbsp;some change the nickname into 媳婦兒 xi2fuer0. The word traditionally is&nbsp;a more rustic way to refer "wife"...now becomes the new nickname...


----------



## FRee^ARouND

Ty





SuperXW said:


> I don't know about the English slang "boo". But I know both 馬子 and 妞 are sort of offensive terms which are often used by gansters and could result a slap on your face...<br>
> Ai ren is only used in very formal occasions when the speaker introduce his ligal wife to a third person... <br>
> I agree with no9, lao3po2 is the current popular nickname for one's girlfriend in Mainland China.<br>
> Funny, when they really get married,&nbsp;some change the nickname into 媳婦兒 xi2fuer0. The word traditionally is&nbsp;a more rustic way to refer "wife"...now becomes the new nickname...



Agreed. Only one question: When did the 媳妇儿 become popular? Even rural folks stop using it as far as I know. Since I am being indoors for months, it makes me feel I'm the modern Thoreau if I miss it.

And there is a another one for a native speaker: What's the difference between chick, boo, gal, sweetie？


----------



## midismilex

SuperXW said:


> I don't know about the English slang "boo". But I know both 馬子 and 妞 are sort of offensive terms which are often used by gansters and could result a slap on your face...<br>
> ...



Really??? Such a big news to me. Thanks, SuperXW.


----------



## SuperXW

FRee^ARouND said:


> Ty
> 
> Agreed. Only one question: When did the 媳妇儿 become popular? Even rural folks stop using it as far as I know. Since I am being indoors for months, it makes me feel I'm the modern Thoreau if I miss it.
> 
> And there is a another one for a native speaker: What's the difference between chick, boo, gal, sweetie？



I'm not sure either... My friends in Beijing told me so...This usage could also be regional and temporary.


----------



## AlexTheFrog

I asked a Friend. She told me that Taitai become more and more used for girlfriend due to its " western" conotation and informality


----------



## tdwmy

i guess 亲爱的 is a good one, it can means Darling


----------



## midismilex

AlexTheFrog said:


> I asked a Friend. She told me that Taitai become more and more used for girlfriend due to its " western" conotation and informality



Hmmm.... until now, I think it's out of the question in post #1 (how Alex wants to call your boo). You know boo is what, but she doesn't, perhaps your friend doesn't either. Then.... why not just ask her what she wants you to call her? Since she's happy, you will be happy. So, let's forget what "boo" means what. Wish that would be a good suggestion.


----------



## SuperXW

To discuss such a topic, it's necessary for us to clarify one thing:
Is this word for calling your girlfriend directly, or for refering your girlfriend when speaking to others?
You can call your girlfriend "darling" "baby" etc., but you usually don't say to others "this is my baby"...
You tell others "this is my girlfriend" "she's my lover", but you don't say to her "Hey girlfriend, I love you."
There should be some English linguistic terms for these orientations, but my English is not good. Pardon me please.


----------



## Lugubert

Good points, SuperXW. Google seems to confirm my guess that "boo" is what I would write "beau". I had the idea that this is a fairly old-fashioned word for boy/girlfriend, but it seems that it still is current enough. I have no idea of how loving/kind/(in)formal it sounds today.


----------



## midismilex

Lugubert said:


> Good points, SuperXW. Google seems to confirm my guess that "boo" is what I would write "beau". I had the idea that this is a fairly old-fashioned word for boy/girlfriend, but it seems that it still is current enough. I have no idea of how loving/kind/(in)formal it sounds today.



Are you saying 小美人兒？ If yes, I also wonder if it will result a slap on a man's face in China nowadays. What will you say， native speakers in China?


----------



## Shui

In my opinion, young people in China often use 宝贝儿which means baby, 亲爱的which means darling, 猪头 means piggy( when banter with each other), but 马子，妞儿 are a little gangster in ordinary life 

PS: correct my chinglish plz... thanks a lot in advance ^ ^


----------

