cháu trai
[t͡ɕaw˧˦ t͡ɕaːj˧˧]word by word
The English phrase "grandson" is cháu trai in Vietnamese. Wiktionary also lists cháu nội and cháu ngoại.
Meaning: son of one's child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| cháu trai | [t͡ɕaw˧˦ t͡ɕaːj˧˧] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
| cháu nội | |
| cháu ngoại |
cháu trai is used to refer to a grandson. In many contexts, the word cháu is used alone to refer to a grandchild, but it is also the standard way to address a person younger than oneself who is of the grandchild generation.
What does it mean word for word?
The term cháu trai is composed of cháu (grandchild/nephew/niece) and trai (male/boy).
Which one should you use?
While cháu trai is a general term for a male grandchild regardless of which side of the family he belongs to, cháu nội and cháu ngoại specify the lineage. Specifically, cháu nội refers to a grandson through the paternal line (son's son).
Did you know?
- The words for paternal and maternal grandsons, nội and ngoại, literally mean 'inside' and 'outside'. This reflects an old tradition where a married woman was considered to have moved 'outside' her original family.
Examples in context
- Trong bức ảnh này, tôi vẫn còn nhớ cháu trai tôi khi ấy mới chỉ năm tuổi.In this photo, I remember my grandson was only five years old.This sentence is useful for remembering a memory of a cháu trai when he was five years old.Tatoeba #13619346 by leucammieuvu, translation #13617793 by carlosalberto
- Cháu nội của tôi rất ngoan và thông minh.My grandson is very obedient and intelligent.
- Cháu trai tôi đang chơi ở trong vườn.My grandson is playing in the garden.
- Ông ấy rất yêu quý cháu trai của mình.He loves his grandson very much.
Example conversation
Hùng and Chi are looking at an old photo album.
- HùngĐây là cháu trai của tôi lúc nhỏ.This is my grandson when he was little.
- ChiCháu trai của anh trông rất kháu khỉnh.Your grandson looks very cute.
- HùngCảm ơn chị, bây giờ nó đã lớn rồi.Thank you, he is big now.
- ChiThời gian trôi nhanh quá nhỉ.Time flies so fast, doesn't it?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandson” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (cháu, trai) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cháu, ngoại, nội, trai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
