爷爷奶奶
yéye nǎinai
The English phrase "grandpa and grandma" is translated into Chinese as 爷爷奶奶 (yéye nǎinai).
爷爷奶奶 is used specifically to refer to your paternal grandfather and grandmother.
Which one should you use?
While 爷爷奶奶 refers to paternal grandparents, 外公外婆 (wàigōng wàipó) is used for maternal grandparents.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, the conjunction "and" is often omitted when listing close family members, simply placing the two titles together.
How do you pronounce it?
yéye nǎinai
Did you know?
- The character 外 (wài) in the maternal terms literally means 'outside', implying that the mother's side of the family is outside the immediate paternal clan.
- In certain literature, calling someone 奶奶 can actually be a way to address a young mistress of a wealthy household. The word's meaning shifts entirely depending on the social class being described.
- In many parts of China, you might hear these terms used to address much older strangers, even if they are not related to you. It is a way of showing respect and building a sense of community in public spaces.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢爷爷奶奶。Wǒ xǐhuān yéye nǎinai.I love my grandpa and grandma.
- 爷爷奶奶住在上海。Yéye nǎinai zhù zài Shànghǎi.Grandpa and grandma live in Shanghai.
- 你要去看爷爷奶奶吗？Nǐ yào qù kàn yéye nǎinai ma?Are you going to visit your grandpa and grandma?
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a weekend trip.
- 佳怡 Jiayi浩然，你周末要去哪里？Hàorán, nǐ zhōumò yào qù nǎlǐ?Haoran, where are you going this weekend?
- 浩然 Haoran我要去看爷爷奶奶。Wǒ yào qù kàn yéye nǎinai.I am going to visit my grandpa and grandma.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你真孝顺。Nǐ zhēn xiàoshùn.You are very filial.
- 浩然 Haoran谢谢，我也很想他们。Xièxiè, wǒ yě hěn xiǎng tāmen.Thanks, I miss them a lot too.
