宝宝
bǎobao · HSK 4
precious baby
👶 宝 (treasure) doubled = baby; reduplication is a Chinese affection marker
宝 means treasure or precious; doubling a character in Mandarin often signals endearment (爸爸, 妈妈, 哥哥). So 宝宝 literally reads as treasure-treasure, the standard term of affection for a baby or sweetheart.
宝 — roof 宀 + jade 玉 (simplified from 寶)
Originally written 寶, showing a roof 宀 over jade 玉, a jar 缶, and shell 貝 (money) — valuables kept safely at home. The simplified form 宝 keeps just the roof and jade, preserving the core idea of 'treasure.' It now means treasure, precious, or valuable.
宝 — roof 宀 + jade 玉 (simplified from 寶)
Originally written 寶, showing a roof 宀 over jade 玉, a jar 缶, and shell 貝 (money) — valuables kept safely at home. The simplified form 宝 keeps just the roof and jade, preserving the core idea of 'treasure.' It now means treasure, precious, or valuable.