Chinese Conversation · Level 17
90 words
Chinese word
外公
Pronunciation
Pinyinwài gōng
Meaning
- nounmaternal grandpa
Example
我的外公已经八十岁了。wǒ de wài gōng yǐ jīng bā shí suì le
My maternal grandpa is already 80 years old.
More examples
节日我会给外公打电话问候他。jié rì wǒ huì gěi wài gōng dǎ diàn huà wèn hòu tā
On holidays, I call my maternal grandpa to say hello.
Core concept
A familiar family title that places a grandfather on the mother's side of the family.
Common phrases
给外公打电话gěi wài gōng dǎ diàn huà
call one's maternal grandpa
照顾外公zhào gù wài gōng
take care of one's maternal grandpa
Similar words
外祖父wài zǔ fù: A formal family term for the mother's father.
姥爷lǎo yé: An everyday northern term for the mother's father.
爷爷yé yé: An affectionate family term for the father's father.
祖父zǔ fù: A formal term referring to a grandfather.
Definition in Chinese
对母亲一方的父亲的口语称呼，用来称呼母方的祖父，常见于日常生活中的家庭称谓。duì mǔ qīn yì fāng de fù qīn de kóu yǔ chēng hū yòng lái chēng hū mǔ fāng de zǔ fù cháng jiàn yú rì cháng shēng huó zhōng de jiā tíng chēng wèi
Word origin
外公 (wàigōng, "maternal grandfather") combines 外 (wài, "outside or maternal side") with 公 (gōng, "elder man"), a pairing that identifies the grandfather through the mother's family line.
Usage tips
- English usually uses grandpa for either side of a family, but Chinese kinship titles often mark the side explicitly, so this word helps distinguish the mother's father from the father's father.