Meaning
胖子 is a colloquial noun referring to someone who is overweight or fat. It combines 胖 (fat) with the suffix 子, which often makes adjectives into nouns referring to people or things with that quality. The term can range from playful and affectionate among close friends to somewhat rude or insensitive when used about strangers or in formal contexts.
Usage
Native speakers commonly use 胖子 in casual, informal speech. Between close friends or family, it can be teasing but affectionate. However, it can be offensive when used by strangers or in formal settings, as body-related terms require sensitivity. Parents might call their chubby child 小胖子 (little fatty) lovingly. The neutral or polite way to describe someone's weight is to say 他/她比较胖 (he/she is relatively heavy).
Examples
- 01他从小就是个小胖子，大家都很喜欢他。, .He's been a chubby kid since he was young, and everyone likes him.
- 02别叫我胖子，我在减肥呢！, !Don't call me fatty, I'm losing weight!
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个胖子
Common collocations
- 小胖子little fatty (often affectionate)
- 大胖子big fat person
Antonyms
Origin
The suffix 子 is commonly added to adjectives in colloquial Mandarin to create nouns referring to people with that characteristic, similar to 瘦子 (thin person), 矮子 (short person), or 傻子 (fool).