孫子 / 孙子
sūnzi
In Mandarin, the English word 'grandson' is translated as 孫子 / 孙子 (sūnzi). Wiktionary also lists 外孫 / 外孙 (wàisūn).
Meaning: son of one's child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 孫子 / 孙子 | sūnzi |
| 外孫 / 外孙 | wàisūn |
The term 孫子 / 孙子 is commonly used within the family to talk about one's own grandson or when speaking to someone with whom you share a close relationship. The term 外孫 / 外孙 emphasizes the external or 'outside' relationship between the speaker and the grandson.
What does it mean word for word?
In the term 外孫 / 外孙, the character 外 means 'outside', which is used in Chinese to denote maternal lineage.
Which one should you use?
Use 外孫 / 外孙 specifically for the grandson of one's daughter, whereas 孫子 / 孙子 refers to the grandson of one's son.
How do you pronounce it?
sūnzi
Did you know?
- The most famous person associated with the word 孫子 is not a family member, but the author of 'The Art of War', known in English as Sun Tzu.
- While 孫子 literally means 'grandson', using it as a general noun to address a stranger can be a severe insult, implying the person is a 'brat' or a 'lowly subordinate'.
- The character 孫 contains a radical meaning 'child', but the original ancient form represented a 'seed' or 'shoot' of a plant, comparing descendants to new growth on a tree.
Examples in context
- 李先生的外孙在美国读大学。Mr. Li's grandson is studying at a university in the United States.
- 奶奶最喜欢和孙子一起玩。Grandma loves playing with her grandson the most.
- 爷爷带孙儿去公园玩耍。Grandpa took his grandson to the park to play.
- 奶奶喜欢孙子叫她阿嫲。Grandma likes it when her grandson calls her 'Ahma.'
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandson” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
