胖

• Pinyin: pàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 胖 = 月 (flesh/body) + 半 (half, phonetic component), a body-related adjective

Meaning

Fat; overweight; chubby. Describes someone who has more body weight than average.

A direct and common adjective for describing body size. In Chinese culture, 胖 is often used more casually and with less stigma than 'fat' in English — it can even be affectionate when describing babies or children (胖乎乎的 = chubby and cute). However, calling an adult 胖 can still be sensitive. The opposite is 瘦 (thin).

Examples

1. 最近吃太多了，我觉得自己胖了不少。 I've been eating too much lately and feel like I've gained quite a bit of weight.
2. 这个小宝宝胖乎乎的，好可爱。 This baby is so chubby and cute.
3. 他比去年胖了很多，应该多运动。 He has gained a lot of weight since last year — he should exercise more.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, appearance, health

Tone: direct

Do Say

• 我最近胖了几斤。(I've gained a few jin recently.)
• 小猫吃得胖胖的。(The kitten has been eating well and is chubby.)

Don't Say

• 老师，您好胖啊！(Never tell someone they are fat as a greeting or compliment — it is rude in most social situations. Even in Chinese culture, this is too direct for adults.)

Origin & History

胖 = 月 (flesh radical, 肉) + 半 (half, phonetic). The flesh radical signals that it relates to the body.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal