Traditionally, Chinese culture favors a more reserved and less direct expression of affection compared to many Western cultures. Public displays of endearment, both physical and verbal, were less common. As a result, calling a spouse or partner 亲爱 (qīn'ài) in public was historically rare and might have been seen as overly dramatic or even embarrassing. Its primary place was in the written word—letters, poems, and songs—where emotions could be expressed more freely. This contrasts sharply with the English word “dear,” which can be used very casually (“Oh dear,” “Thanks, dear,”). 亲爱 is almost never used so lightly. It implies a genuine and significant bond. However, with globalization and the influence of foreign films and TV shows, younger generations in China are now more comfortable using 亲爱 in spoken conversation with their romantic partners. It is seen as modern and romantic, though still less frequent in daily chatter than terms like `老婆 (lǎopó)` (wife) or `宝贝 (bǎobèi)` (baby).