Future Minimum Payments Under Non-Cancelable Licensing Agreements (Detail) - Dec. 31, 2015 - Licensed copyrights of video contents ¥ in Thousands, $ in Thousands	USD ($)	CNY (¥)
Commitment And Contingencies [Line Items]
2016	$ 482,084	¥ 3,122,843
2017	33,533	217,219
2018	37,206	241,014
2019	38,852	251,674
2020	23,812	154,250
Thereafter	157,918	1,022,963
Future Minimum Payments Under Non-Cancelable Licensing agreements	$ 773,405	¥ 5,009,963

Commitment And Contingencies [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	bidu_CommitmentAndContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	bidu_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement in which the entity has agreed to expend funds to procure goods or services from a supplier.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement maturing after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Includes, but not limited to, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, long-term purchase commitments, and short-term purchase commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligationDueAfterFifthYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Includes, but not limited to, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, long-term purchase commitments, and short-term purchase commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligationDueInFifthYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Includes, but not limited to, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, long-term purchase commitments, and short-term purchase commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligationDueInFourthYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Includes, but not limited to, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, long-term purchase commitments, and short-term purchase commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligationDueInNextTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Includes, but not limited to, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, long-term purchase commitments, and short-term purchase commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligationDueInSecondYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Includes, but not limited to, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, long-term purchase commitments, and short-term purchase commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligationDueInThirdYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_CopyrightsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: