<p>老公 is more for casual conversation. e.g. 這是我老公 </p>

<p>先生 can be used in a more formal situation. e.g. 這是我先生 </p>

<p>In a even more formal situation, you can use 外子.  e.g. 這是外子 </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-24T08:22:28.163Z
外子 sounds too old-style to me.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-24T08:24:03.077Z
In a very formal situation, it is still something being used.  老公 is simply too casual
Adrian Shum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-24T08:27:52.243Z
and, imho, it is really a pity that modern mainland china has lost a lot of polite and elegant language elements.  The way to call someone is a good example.
Adrian Shum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-24T12:23:09.607Z
Being a Chinese, i can say that 老公 is not casual. 老公 is most commonly used phrase to introduce husband. and 外子 is not used nowadays, only in Song Dynasty and the old times
IspeakCantonese
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-25T05:30:11.167Z
Being a Chinese, I can say 老公 is really casual.  Yes, you use 老公 for informal conversation to introduce husband, that's just like saying: this is my hubby.  You can say it in most situation, it doesn't mean it is formal.  外子 is also not that ancient.  I do heard people using this term 10 years before, and even now, if you are in a really formal situation and you want to show respect to the people you are having conversation with (e.g. with a well-educated elderly), using 外子 is still a wise choice.
Adrian Shum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-25T05:31:20.647Z
I am regret to say, you feel weird just bcos in mainland china nowaday, people tends to use inelegant wordings ("thanks" for Cultural Revolution)
Adrian Shum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-05T01:37:08.800Z
As a native, I have to search the web to know what 外子 means.
fefe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-24T08:19:18.913Z
2014-04-24T08:19:18.913Z
Adrian Shum
<p>more socially appropriate? Probably no one can beat "老公" now.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-23T22:54:03.837Z
2014-04-23T22:54:03.837Z
milesma
<p>老公 is the most commonly used words in both mandarin and Cantonese, we usually introduce or describe husband using "這是我的老公。".<br>
As 先生 in Cantonese can also means teacher, so the most appropriate is "呢位係我老公。"
In formal written language, 丈夫 also means husband but it is not used in spoken language.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-24T12:34:03.447Z
2014-04-24T12:34:03.447Z
IspeakCantonese
<p>As the matter of fact, this question, and the <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/6653/can-we-call-someone-x%E5%A4%AA%E5%A4%AA-or-not">Can we call someone X太太 or not?</a> one, has a common answer in mainland China, at least for the past 40~50 years since "New China" -- it's <strong>“爱人”</strong>. Both “爱人” &amp; “同志”, were commonly used to address people after year 1949 in mainland China. </p>

<p>Unfortunately it has been viciously attacked and jeered by the HK &amp; TW people, now “爱人”/“同志” are mostly abandoned/avoided. I'm not blaming people here. This is only the sad part of the Chinese language history. For example, I myself would avoid the term “太太”，because it has been <em>negatively</em> associated with “官太太”, “姨太太” in mainland China for a very long time (40~50 years after 1949). This is the <strong>main reason</strong> that we suddenly feel that that there is no proper ways to say <em>husband/wife</em> in China. “老公”，“老婆” maybe a formal way to address people in some area, but in mainland China, especially the norther side, it is widely regarded as “乡下话”, thus only used informally. </p>

<p>“爱人” can be used both formally in the newspaper and casually among friends. 
I <strong>still</strong> think “爱人” is a good answer. Some people demean it by saying it means <em>"lover"</em>. But I'd say that is a deliberated disgracing, because <em>"lover"</em> has a proper Chinese translation for very very long time -- “情人”. The proper translation of “爱人” is <strong><em>"beloved significant other"</em></strong>, a marvelous word that has no western counterpart. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-05T04:35:25.290Z
同志 can't be used as a term for husband/wife; I'm not sure if it ever was used this way. Just making this clear as your wording may have implied this.
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-05T12:57:40.260Z
your are right, 同志 was only used to address people that have no relation with you or your friend/relatives, i.e., a perfect way to address a perfect stranger. But its meaning is entirely changed (negatively) in nowadays usage.
xpt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-04T21:40:14.310Z
2014-05-04T21:51:07.030Z
2017-04-13T12:48:06.457Z
xpt
<p>我家死鬼 might be an interesting one. Literally it means "my house dead ghost". It is used usually in a teasing way when mentioning "husband" to a close friend.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-26T02:13:35.197Z
2014-04-26T02:13:35.197Z
ChineseHulu.com
<p>（Old Beijing dialect）</p>

<p>－这 我们 家 挣钱的/管事儿的/拿主意的。/这 (孩儿)他爸。(husband)</p>

<p>－这 我们 家 掌柜的/管账的。/这 (孩儿)他妈。(wife)</p>

<p>(for old people, generally above 50 yrs old)</p>

<p>-这 是 我 老伴儿。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-25T06:08:06.687Z
孩子他爸....good one!
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-04T19:31:06.463Z
对，“孩儿他爸”，or “我那口子” are all casual sayings among very close friends, to sound “亲切”. “先生” & “外子” are more "borrowed" from Taiwan's saying.
xpt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-28T08:25:41.380Z
孩子他爸， 我那口子， 當家的， 殺千刀的
velut luna
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-24T20:40:57.913Z
2014-04-25T21:01:37.287Z
2014-04-25T21:01:37.287Z
Joseph S WU
<p>Some common words are 先生 or 老公,</p>

<p>Are there any other options that would be more socially appropriate?</p>

<usage><word-requests><politeness><introductions>
How to introduce "Husband" in social occasions?
# How to introduce "Husband" in social occasions?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-23)

Some common words are 先生 or 老公,

Are there any other options that would be more socially appropriate?

**Tags:** usage, word-requests, politeness, introductions


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## 6 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-04-24. Score: 3

老公 is more for casual conversation. e.g. 這是我老公

先生 can be used in a more formal situation. e.g. 這是我先生

In a even more formal situation, you can use 外子. e.g. 這是外子

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: 外子 sounds too old-style to me.  
> **username_1**: In a very formal situation, it is still something being used.  老公 is simply too casual  
> **username_1**: and, imho, it is really a pity that modern mainland china has lost a lot of polite and elegant language elements.  The way to call someone is a good example.  
> **username_3**: Being a Chinese, i can say that 老公 is not casual. 老公 is most commonly used phrase to introduce husband. and 外子 is not used nowadays, only in Song Dynasty and the old times  
> **username_1**: Being a Chinese, I can say 老公 is really casual.  Yes, you use 老公 for informal conversation to introduce husband, that's just like saying: this is my hubby.  You can say it in most situation, it doesn't mean it is formal.  外子 is also not that ancient.  I do heard people using this term 10 years before, and even now, if you are in a really formal situation and you want to show respect to the people you are having conversation with (e.g. with a well-educated elderly), using 外子 is still a wise choice.  
> **username_1**: I am regret to say, you feel weird just bcos in mainland china nowaday, people tends to use inelegant wordings ("thanks" for Cultural Revolution)  
> **username_4**: As a native, I have to search the web to know what 外子 means.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2014-04-23. Score: 2

more socially appropriate? Probably no one can beat "老公" now.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-04-24. Score: 2

老公 is the most commonly used words in both mandarin and Cantonese, we usually introduce or describe husband using "這是我的老公。".  
As 先生 in Cantonese can also means teacher, so the most appropriate is "呢位係我老公。"
In formal written language, 丈夫 also means husband but it is not used in spoken language.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2014-05-04. Score: 1

As the matter of fact, this question, and the [Can we call someone X太太 or not?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/6653/can-we-call-someone-x%E5%A4%AA%E5%A4%AA-or-not) one, has a common answer in mainland China, at least for the past 40~50 years since "New China" -- it's **“爱人”**. Both “爱人” & “同志”, were commonly used to address people after year 1949 in mainland China.

Unfortunately it has been viciously attacked and jeered by the HK & TW people, now “爱人”/“同志” are mostly abandoned/avoided. I'm not blaming people here. This is only the sad part of the Chinese language history. For example, I myself would avoid the term “太太”，because it has been *negatively* associated with “官太太”, “姨太太” in mainland China for a very long time (40~50 years after 1949). This is the **main reason** that we suddenly feel that that there is no proper ways to say *husband/wife* in China. “老公”，“老婆” maybe a formal way to address people in some area, but in mainland China, especially the norther side, it is widely regarded as “乡下话”, thus only used informally.

“爱人” can be used both formally in the newspaper and casually among friends.
I **still** think “爱人” is a good answer. Some people demean it by saying it means *"lover"*. But I'd say that is a deliberated disgracing, because *"lover"* has a proper Chinese translation for very very long time -- “情人”. The proper translation of “爱人” is ***"beloved significant other"***, a marvelous word that has no western counterpart.

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: 同志 can't be used as a term for husband/wife; I'm not sure if it ever was used this way. Just making this clear as your wording may have implied this.  
> **username_6**: your are right, 同志 was only used to address people that have no relation with you or your friend/relatives, i.e., a perfect way to address a perfect stranger. But its meaning is entirely changed (negatively) in nowadays usage.  

---

### Answer by username_8 on 2014-04-26. Score: 1

我家死鬼 might be an interesting one. Literally it means "my house dead ghost". It is used usually in a teasing way when mentioning "husband" to a close friend.


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### Answer by username_9 on 2014-04-24. Score: 1

（Old Beijing dialect）

－这 我们 家 挣钱的/管事儿的/拿主意的。/这 (孩儿)他爸。(husband)

－这 我们 家 掌柜的/管账的。/这 (孩儿)他妈。(wife)

(for old people, generally above 50 yrs old)

-这 是 我 老伴儿。

> **Comments:**
> **username_10**: 孩子他爸....good one!  
> **username_6**: 对，“孩儿他爸”，or “我那口子” are all casual sayings among very close friends, to sound “亲切”. “先生” & “外子” are more "borrowed" from Taiwan's saying.  
> **username_11**: 孩子他爸， 我那口子， 當家的， 殺千刀的  

---

