What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 外 (wài), meaning 'outside' and 公 (gōng), a respectful term for an elderly man or grandfather.
Which one should you use?
外公 (wàigōng) refers specifically to the maternal grandfather, whereas 爷爷 (yéye) refers to the paternal grandfather.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
外公 is a formal term for maternal grandpas. For a more formal description, you may use 母亲的父亲 (mother's father).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In regions like Jiangsu and Zhejiang, people use 外爷 to refer to grandpas on their mom's side. In Northern China, 姥爷 (lǎoye) is a common informal way to say maternal grandfather.
How do you pronounce it?
wàigōng
When do people say it?
The use of the character 外 (outside) to denote maternal relatives reflects the traditional Chinese distinction between the paternal lineage (the 'inner' family) and the maternal lineage (the 'outer' family).
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese society, the use of 外 (outside) in 外公 indicated that maternal grandfathers historically held significantly less authority over the household than paternal ones.
- The character 公 (gōng) in 外公 is a respectful title for elderly men that historically links to how one would address high-ranking officials in classical Chinese.
- While 外公 is the textbook term, using it in a casual Beijing setting may make a speaker sound like they are reading from a manual because 姥爷 is the dominant social norm there.
Examples in context
- 您的外公是哪位?Who is your grandpa on your mom's side?
- 我外爷对我很慈祥My grandpa on my mom's side is very kind to me.
- 我外公今年七十岁了。Wǒ wàigōng jīnnián qīshí suì le.My grandpa on mom's side is seventy years old this year.
- 外公很喜欢喝茶。Wàigōng hěn xǐhuān hē chá.My maternal grandfather loves drinking tea.
- 我们要去外公家玩。Wǒmen yào qù wàigōng jiā wán.We are going to my grandpa on mom's side's house to play.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their weekend plans.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你周末要做什么？Nǐ zhōumò yào zuò shénme?What are you doing this weekend?
- 雨婷 Yuting我要去看望外公。Wǒ yào qù kànwàng wàigōng.I am going to visit my grandpa on mom's side.
- 志强 Zhiqiang外公身体还好吗？Wàigōng shēntǐ hái hǎo ma?Is your maternal grandfather in good health?
- 雨婷 Yuting他身体很健康。Tā shēntǐ hěn jiànkāng.He is very healthy.
