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父亲节快乐
Happy Father's Day
daddy I love u
Yin and yang.
Peanut butter and jelly.
Mothers and… fathers.
We’ve celebrated our mothers in the spring, but now summer’s here.
It’s time to celebrate the fathers in our lives.
There are many useful and common Chinese phrases related to Father’s Day, including words of appreciation and encouragement.
Learn how to tell your dad that you love him in Chinese, or that he is awesome!
But first, do you know when Father’s Day is celebrated in China? Let’s cover our basics:
Celebrating Father’s Day in China
Respect for fathers is deeply traditional in Chinese culture. Chinese Confucian philosophy teaches filial piety, which is deep respect for parents, elders and ancestors.
It is called 孝 (xiào). An idea not easily translatable into English, 孝 goes beyond obedience, respect and love. It’s almost like a lifelong devotion to your parents.
4 Ways to Wish Your Dad “Happy Father’s Day” in Chinese
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1. 爸爸父亲节快乐 (Dad, happy Father’s Day)
On that special Sunday, you’ll want to say: 爸爸父亲节快乐! (bà bà fù qīn jié kuài lè – Happy Father’s Day)!
爸爸 (bà bà) means “dad” and 父亲 (fù qīn) is father. 节 (jié) refers to any kind of special holiday, and 快乐 (kuài lè) is happy.
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2. 爸爸我爱你 (Dad, I love you)
You can say to your dad, 爸爸我爱你 (bà bà wǒ ài nǐ – I love you, dad). Though interestingly, it’s not common to verbalize feelings in Chinese culture. Moreover, it’s actually quite rare to directly say “I love you” to someone (but acceptable among young dating couples).
Kids might say “I love you” to their parents, but older or adult children may not. In fact, “I love you” is so awkward for Chinese people to say, that whenever people do say “I love you,” they often say it in English!
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3. 爸你辛苦啦 (Dad, you’ve worked hard)
This is like the Chinese equivalent of “I love you.”
Instead of talking about feelings, Chinese are more likely to recognize others’ hard work and sacrifice. They thank or show love to people by pointing out perseverance and effort.
So saying 爸你辛苦啦 (bà nǐ xīn kǔ la) is very thoughtful. It will make a Chinese dad feel that you appreciate and value his effort and sacrifice. It means that you honor and recognize him.
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4. 爸谢谢 (Dad, thank you)
Although Chinese tend to honor each other indirectly instead of verbalizing sentiment, it’s perfectly acceptable to say “thank you” 爸谢谢 (bà xiè xiè).
An adult child may say, “Thank you for raising me” 谢谢你把我养大 (xiè xiè nǐ bǎ wǒ yǎng dà). This is sometimes said at wedding speeches by the new couple to their parents. It’s an example of pointing out another’s greatest sacrifice as a way of honoring them.
You can also say, “Thank you for all that you’ve done for me” 谢谢你为我付出的一切 (xiè xiè nǐ wèi wǒ fù chū de yī qiè). This is actually quite sentimental and tough for some Chinese to say, but on special occasions they might open up and say this.
Source: FluentU
