老公

lǎogōng

noun HSK 4 #2,327

Meanings

HSK 1

她老公在北京工作。

Tā lǎogōng zài Běijīng gōngzuò.

Her husband works in Beijing.

HSK 1

老公，今天晚上吃什么？

Lǎogōng, jīntiān wǎnshang chī shénme?

Honey, what should we eat tonight?

HSK 4

我老公下班后总是帮我做家务。

Wǒ lǎogōng xiàbān hòu zǒngshì bāng wǒ zuò jiāwù.

My husband always helps me with the housework after he gets off work.

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