“父亲节 (Fùqinjié) Father’s Day” is coming up soon. “I Have a Great Daddy” is a well-known nursery rhyme in China. This is a song that has been around for quite sometime and has deep cultural roots. Sharing its theme with a popular television drama 《好爸爸坏爸爸》(Hǎo bàba huài bàba), which won numerous rewards for its honest and uplifting portrayal of family life in China. This is in no way an endorsement of how one should or should not parent, but a reminder to be thankful to our fathers. Children can sing it to their fathers on Father’s Day as a way to give thanks to their fathers for his love and hard work.
Listen to the song
Wǒ yǒu yíge hǎo bàba,
我 有 一个 好 爸爸，
I have a great daddy.
Bàba, bàba, bàba, bàba, hǎo bàba, hǎo bàba.
爸爸，爸爸，爸爸，爸爸，好 爸爸，好 爸爸。
Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, great daddy, great daddy.
Wǒ yǒu yíge hǎo bàba,
我 有 一个 好 爸爸，
I have a great daddy,
Zuò qǐ fàn lái qiāng dāngdāng, qiāng dāngdāng,
做 起 饭 来 锵 铛铛 锵 铛铛，
He can cook meals. Cook cook cook.
Xǐ qǐ yīfu cā cā cā, cā cā cā,
洗起衣服嚓 嚓 嚓，嚓 嚓 嚓，
He can wash clothes. Scrub scrub scrub.
Gāo qǐ xīng lái hā hā hā, hā hā hā,
高 起 兴 来 哈 哈 哈，哈哈 哈，
When he’s happy, he likes to laugh. Ha ha ha.
Dǎ qǐ pìgu pā pā pā, pā pā pā,
打 起屁股 啪 啪 啪，啪啪 啪，
When I make mistakes, he’ll give me a spanking. Pow Pow Pow!
En, zhēn shì xī lǐ huā lā.
嗯， 真 是 稀里哗 啦。
Oh, it can be such a mess!
Bàba, bàba, bàba, bàba, hǎo bàba, hǎo bàba.
爸爸，爸爸，爸爸，爸爸，好 爸爸，好 爸爸，
Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, great daddy, my great daddy,
Wǒ yǒu yíge hǎo bàba.
我 有 一个 好 爸爸。
I have a great daddy.
Nǎge bàba bú mà rén,
哪个 爸爸 不 骂 人，
Every father would educate his child,
Nǎge háizi bú hàipà,
哪个 孩子 不 害怕，
Every child would be frightened by dad,
Dǎ shì qīn lái mà shì ài,
打 是 亲 来 骂 是 爱，
He loves you and he wants you to be better,
Nǎge bú shì hǎo bàbà.
哪个 不 是 好 爸爸。
Every daddy is a great daddy.
Bàba, bàba, bàba, bàba, hǎo bàba, hǎo bàba,
爸爸，爸爸，爸爸，爸爸，好 爸爸，好 爸爸，
Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, great daddy, great daddy,
Wǒ yǒu yíge hǎo bàba.
我 有 一个 好 爸爸。
I have a great daddy.
Key Learning Points:
洗衣服 (xǐ yīfu) to wash clothes
“洗 (xǐ)” means to wash and “衣服 (yīfu)” means clothes.
Example:
Jiě, nǐ néng bāng wǒ xǐ yīfu ma?
Brother: 姐，你能 帮 我 洗衣服吗？
Hey Sis, can you help me wash clothes?
Bù xíng, zìjǐ xǐ.
Sister: 不行，自己洗。
No, wash them by yourself.
做饭 (zuòfàn) to cook meals
“做 (zuò)” means to make and “饭 (fàn)” means meal.
Example:
Wǒ zuòfàn, nǐ xǐwǎn.
Wife: 我 做饭，你 洗碗。
I’ll cook and you do the dishes.
Méi wèntí.
Husband: 没 问题。
No problem.
Practice:
Choose the correct answer to fill in the blank.
1. Nǐ zài gàn shénme?
A. 你 在 干 什么？
Wǒ zài ___ fàn ne.
B. 我 在 ___ 饭 呢。
A. 洗 (xǐ) B. 做 (zuò) C. 打 (dǎ)
2. Hǎo xiāng a, wǒ xiān cháng diǎnr.
Son: 好 香 啊，我 先 尝 点儿。
Xiān qù __ shǒu.
Mother: 先 去 __ 手。
A. 拉 (lā) B. 伸 (shēn) C. 洗 (xǐ)
Answers for the practice: 1. B 2. C