包二奶

bāo èrnǎi

verb

Meanings

1 to keep a mistress
2 to cohabit with and financially support a mistress

Characters

to keep; wrap; retain

milk; (here) woman

Examples

HSK 3

他被发现在外面包二奶。

Tā bèi fāxiàn zài wàimiàn bāo èrnǎi.

He was discovered keeping a mistress on the side.

HSK 7-9

包二奶现象在某些富人圈子里曾经很普遍。

Bāo èrnǎi xiànxiàng zài mǒuxiē fùrén quānzi lǐ céngjīng hěn pǔbiàn.

The phenomenon of keeping mistresses was once common in certain wealthy circles.

Tips

culture

二奶 literally 'second wife / second milk-giver' is the woman; 包 here means 'to keep on retainer' (same 包 as in 包养). The term became a 1990s-2000s tabloid fixture in southern China and Hong Kong, often involving cross-border arrangements with women living in Shenzhen or Dongguan.

register

Colloquial and judgmental, never neutral. Closer to English 'kept woman' framing than 'mistress'. Don't use in formal writing; the legal/journalistic term is 包养情妇.

Stroke Order

包 bāo

二 èr

奶 nǎi