父亲

• Pinyin: fù qīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 父 = pictograph of a hand holding a stick, the father figure; 亲 = 立 (stand) + 木 (tree) + 见 (see), meaning close relative

Meaning

Father. The formal term for one's father.

More formal and respectful than 爸爸. Used in written language, formal speech, and when speaking about one's father to others in a respectful way. Also used in official documents and literary contexts.

Examples

1. 他的父亲是一名医生。 His father is a doctor.
2. 父亲节那天我给父亲打了电话。 On Father's Day, I called my father.
3. 她从父亲那里学到了很多做人的道理。 She learned many life principles from her father.

Usage Guide

Context: family, formal, written

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 我的父亲今年六十岁了。(My father is sixty years old this year.)
• 父亲对我的教育非常严格。(My father was very strict about my education.)

Don't Say

• 父亲，我想出去玩 (Don't call your father 父亲 in casual speech — use 爸爸 or 爸; 父亲 is for formal or written reference, not daily address)

Origin & History

Compound of 父 (father) and 亲 (close, parent), together meaning father with an added sense of kinship.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal