What Disgustingly Adorable Thing Do You Call Your Lovah?

You know when you’re walking down the street and you overhear one person in a relationship call their partner something like “Babe” or “Sweetie” or “Schmoopie Pie” and you think how cute that is? I’m not sure that I do, because I can’t recall a single moment I’ve heard a “term of endearment” be used that didn’t make me wince a little (or a lot). Which probably makes me a gigantic Scrooge, but maybe I just haven’t heard the right one yet.

According to the BBC, there are lots of words used around the globe that sound weird to English-speakers but are totally normal to the people in that country, just like to some people Babe will always just be a famous pig. For instance, in France they use “little cabbage” – not to be confused with “big cabbage,” something you call your Great Aunt when she’s not in the room – and in Japan “egg with eyes” is a nice thing to say to someone (sunny side up, not over easy, is an even bigger compliment).

What do you call your beloved? Is it super gross? Do you not even care because you’re in love? Is romance is dead, so maybe it doesn’t even matter?