老公

lǎogōng

noun HSK 4 #2,327

Meanings

她老公在北京工作。

Tā lǎogōng zài Běijīng gōngzuò.

Her husband works in Beijing.

老公，今天晚上吃什么？

Lǎogōng, jīntiān wǎnshang chī shénme?

Honey, what should we eat tonight?

我老公做饭很好吃。

Wǒ lǎogōng zuòfàn hěn hǎochī.

My husband cooks really well.

usage

老公 is the casual, intimate term for husband. 丈夫 is more formal. 先生 is used when politely referring to someone else's husband.

history

Historically 老公 meant eunuch (太监). The shift to today's 'husband' sense came through dialect evolution — an ironic reversal.

老 lǎo

公 gōng