Sugar daddy
Meaning: A wealthy older man who lavishes gifts and money on a younger romantic partner.
A sugar daddy is typically an older, affluent man who financially supports a younger partner (the 'sugar baby') in exchange for companionship, dates, or a relationship. The arrangement can range from traditional dating with expensive gifts to more transactional setups. The term is very common in American pop culture and has spawned an entire subculture with dedicated dating websites.
Examples
- She doesn't work — her sugar daddy pays for everything. 她不工作——她的金主爸爸替她付所有的账。Ella no trabaja — su sugar daddy lo paga todo.彼女は働いてないよ——シュガーダディが全部払ってくれるから。그녀는 일 안 해 — 슈가 대디가 다 내 주거든.
- He's not her boyfriend, he's her sugar daddy. He bought her that car. 他不是她男朋友,是她的金主爸爸。那辆车就是他买的。No es su novio, es su sugar daddy. Él le compró ese coche.彼は彼氏じゃなくてシュガーダディだよ。あの車も彼が買ったんだから。그는 남자친구가 아니라 슈가 대디야. 저 차도 그가 사 준 거야.
- I need a sugar daddy to pay off my student loans. Just kidding... mostly. 我需要一个金主爸爸来帮我还学生贷款。开玩笑的……大半是真的。Necesito un sugar daddy que me pague los préstamos universitarios. Es broma… más o menos.学生ローン返すためにシュガーダディが欲しいな。冗談だけど……半分本気。학자금 대출 갚으려면 슈가 대디가 필요해. 농담이야... 반쯤은.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: dating culture, pop culture, humor
Tone: humorous, sometimes judgmental
✓ Do Say
- She found herself a sugar daddy.她找了个金主爸爸。Se ha buscado un sugar daddy.彼女はシュガーダディを見つけたよ。그녀는 슈가 대디를 찾았어.
- I need a sugar daddy — rent is too expensive.我需要一个金主爸爸——房租太贵了。Necesito un sugar daddy — el alquiler es demasiado caro.シュガーダディが欲しいわ——家賃高すぎるもん。슈가 대디가 필요해 — 월세가 너무 비싸.
✗ Don't Say
- Don't seriously call someone's partner their sugar daddy — it implies the relationship is transactional别正经地叫别人的伴侣金主爸爸——这暗示他们的关系是交易性质的No llames en serio a la pareja de alguien su sugar daddy — implica que la relación es puramente transaccional人のパートナーを本気でシュガーダディと呼ばないこと——その関係が金銭目的だと暗示してしまう누군가의 파트너를 진지하게 슈가 대디라고 부르지 마라 — 관계가 거래적이라는 의미가 된다
Origin & History
First recorded in the 1920s. 'Sugar' has meant money in American slang since the mid-1800s, and 'daddy' was slang for an older male lover. Adolph Spreckels, a wealthy San Francisco sugar heir whose young wife called him 'sugar daddy,' may have popularized the term.
Cultural Context
Era: 1920s onward
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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