The word 爸爸 (bàba) is formed through the process of reduplication, where the single syllable 爸 (bà), meaning "father", is repeated. This doubling is a common pattern in Chinese for forming intimate or familiar kinship terms, creating a softer, more affectionate, and often child-friendly form of address compared to the more formal single-syllable version. The repetition itself conveys informality and endearment, mirroring patterns found in baby talk across many languages.