爺爺 / 爷爷
paternal
The English phrase 'grandfather' in Cantonese can be translated using several different terms depending on whether you are referring to your father's or mother's side of the family. If unsure, use 爺爺 / 爷爷 (paternal). Wiktionary also lists 公公 (maternal) and 祖父 (zou² fu⁶).
Meaning: grandfather (from either side) (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 爺爺 / 爷爷 | paternal |
| 公公 | maternal |
| 祖父 | zou² fu⁶ |
| 外祖父 | ngoi⁶ zou² fu⁶ |
| 外公 | ngoi⁶ gung¹ |
Cantonese distinguishes between paternal and maternal grandfathers. To refer to your father's father, you use terms related to the paternal side. To refer to your mother's father, you use terms related to the maternal side. There are also formal terms used for written or official purposes.
Which one should you use?
The terms used depend on which side of the family the grandfather belongs to. 爺爺 / 爷爷 is specifically for the paternal grandfather (the father's side). 公公 and 外公 are used for the maternal grandfather (the mother's side). 祖父 is a formal, written term for grandfather, while 外祖父 is the formal version for a maternal grandfather.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, the term Yeh yeh is used as an informal way to refer to a paternal grandfather.
How do you pronounce it?
paternal
Did you know?
- In some Cantonese-speaking households, the term 公公 is used for the father-in-law rather than the maternal grandfather.
- The character 外 in 外公 literally means 'outside', conceptually placing maternal relatives outside the primary family clan.
- The term 爺爺 uses reduplication, where the same character is repeated, a linguistic pattern in Cantonese used to soften a word and show affection.
Examples in context
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandfather” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
