In English, life is simple. Your child says “Grandpa,” and everyone knows who they mean.
In Chinese, the first question is often: “Grandpa on Dad’s side, or Grandpa on Mom’s side?”
That’s when families realise English has been quietly compressing a lot of family detail into one word. Chinese pulls that detail back out again — in the form of different titles for different grandpas, plus a few nicknames and dialect words.
The good news: you don’t have to learn every term in one night.In this guide, we’ll walk through 28 ways your child might hear “Grandpa” in Chinese:Let’s start with the two grandpas your child is most likely to meet: Dad’s dad and Mom’s dad.
Part 1: The Two Main “Grandpas” in Mandarin
These first terms are the backbone. If your child only mastered this part, you’d already be in good shape.
1. 爷爷 (yéye) – Dad’s dad, the classic “Grandpa”
If a Mandarin speaker says “爷爷” without more detail, they usually mean the father’s father.
Relationship: Dad’s dad (paternal grandfather)
How kids use it:
爷爷好！(yéye hǎo!) – Hello, Grandpa!
爷爷，我们一起玩吧。– Grandpa, let’s play together.
Most Chinese kids hear “爷爷” from a very young age. It’s short, warm, and high-frequency.
2. 外公 (wàigōng) – Mom’s dad
Next comes Mom’s dad. In Mandarin, he’s often called 外公.
Relationship: Mom’s dad (maternal grandfather)
How kids use it:
外公早上好！(wàigōng zǎoshang hǎo!) – Good morning, Grandpa!
外公，您休息一下，我来帮您。– Grandpa, have a rest, I’ll help you.
The “外” in 外公 literally means “outside” and marks relatives on the mother’s side. It doesn’t mean “outsider”; it’s just how the family tree is organised.
3. 公公 (gōnggong) – Grandpa in many Cantonese-speaking families
In Cantonese-speaking homes (Hong Kong, parts of Guangdong, overseas Chinese communities), children often call their mother’s father 公公 (pronounced gūng gūng in Cantonese).
Relationship: usually Mom’s dad in Cantonese families
How it feels: affectionate, very common in Cantonese
For bilingual kids: you can explain that 公公 in this context is “Grandpa” on Mum’s side, even though in standard Mandarin 公公 can mean something else.
If your in-laws speak Cantonese, your child may end up with both 外公 and 公公 in their mental dictionary. That’s okay. Kids can handle more than we think.
Part 2: Formal Words Kids Will Mostly See in Writing
These terms show up in books, school essays, and maybe on official forms. Children don’t usually use them in everyday speech, but it helps to recognise them.
4. 祖父 (zǔfù) – Formal “grandfather” (usually Dad’s side)
祖父 is a more formal way to say “grandfather,” often defaulting to the paternal side unless otherwise stated.
Where you see it: textbooks, biographies, exams
Example: 我的祖父是一名医生。– My grandfather was a doctor.
You probably won’t ask your child to call someone 祖父 to his face. But when they read it, they’ll know it’s talking about Grandpa.
5. 外祖父 (wàizǔfù) – Formal “maternal grandfather”
Add 外 and it becomes maternal grandfather.
Where you see it: written family histories, essays, exam passages
Example: 我的外祖父住在北京。– My maternal grandfather lives in Beijing.
Again, more for recognition than daily use.
6. 外祖 (wàizǔ) – Shortened written form
Sometimes Chinese texts shorten 外祖父 to 外祖, especially in more literary or formal writing.
Example: 外祖对我影响很大。– My maternal grandfather influenced me deeply.
You don’t need to teach this one actively to young kids, but older learners might notice it in stories.
Part 3: Regional and Dialect “Grandpa” Words
Chinese is not just Mandarin. Here are some common regional ways of saying “Grandpa” that your child might hear from relatives or in shows.
7. 阿公 (āgōng) – Hokkien / Taiwanese-style “Grandpa”
In many southern Chinese and Taiwanese families, 阿公 is a common word for “grandpa”.
Often used for: paternal or maternal grandpa, depending on the local tradition
Where you hear it: Taiwanese dramas, Hokkien-speaking households
If your family has Hokkien or Taiwanese roots, your child might have one 阿公 and one 外公, or two 阿公 with additional context.
8. 老爷 (lǎoye) – Northern term for Mom’s dad
In parts of northern and northeastern China, people may call their maternal grandfather 老爷.
Relationship: usually Mom’s dad
Example: 老爷给我讲了一个故事。– Grandpa told me a story.
For a bilingual child, you can map 老爷 to “Grandpa on Mum’s side” and note that it’s more regional.
9. 姥爷 (lǎoye) – Another common northern word for Mom’s dad
Yes, Chinese gives us choices.
In many northern families, kids say 姥爷 for Mom’s father and 姥姥 for Mom’s mother.
Relationship: Mom’s dad
How kids might use it:
姥爷，我想吃您做的饺子。– Grandpa, I want to eat your dumplings.
Notice how 外公 / 老爷 / 姥爷 can all point to the same person depending on region and family tradition.
10. 阿爷 (āyé) – Older-style “Grandpa”
阿爷 is an older or more dialect-flavoured way of saying Grandpa, heard in some regions and older dramas.
Relationship: usually paternal grandpa
Modern usage: more likely heard than actively taught, but worth recognising.
11. 公公 (gōnggong) in family context (revisited)
We met 公公 already in Cantonese. It’s worth repeating that:
In Cantonese family context, 公公 is often “Grandpa on Mum’s side”.
In standard Mandarin, 公公 commonly refers to a husband’s father in marriage terms.
For a learning child, the simplest message is: “Different regions use 公公 in different ways. Follow how your family uses it.”
12. 阿公公 (āgōnggong) – Extended affectionate form
In some families, especially with very young kids, you might hear 阿公公 – essentially a cute, extended way of saying 阿公.
Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of “Grandpa-grandpa” or “Grandpa-y.”
Part 4: Adding Detail – “Which Grandpa?” Inside the Family
Chinese loves clarity. Instead of saying “the other grandpa,” many families add a little extra information.
13. 外公爷爷 (wàigōng yéye) – For very young children
Some families use a “double” term like 外公爷爷 when kids are tiny and still mixing languages. It keeps the idea of “Grandpa” while slowly attaching the Chinese term.
You probably won’t see this in textbooks, but you may hear it in bilingual homes.
14. 李爷爷 (Lǐ yéye) – Grandpa Li
Attaching a surname is common and very practical.
Example: 李爷爷、王爷爷 – Grandpa Li, Grandpa Wang
Usage:
For neighbours, older family friends, or grandparent-aged people who aren’t close relatives.
Even for real grandparents when there are many in the same room.
This pattern is easy to adopt in overseas Chinese communities.
15. 王外公 (Wáng wàigōng) – Grandpa Wang on Mom’s side
Some families extend the same idea to 外公:
王外公 – Grandpa Wang (on Mum’s side)
张外公 – Grandpa Zhang, etc.
If your family uses surnames a lot in English (“Grandpa Tom,” “Grandpa Lee”), this is a natural bridge.
16. 姥爷刘 (Lǎoye Liú) – Northern-style nickname + surname
In some northern regions, you’ll hear 姥爷 with a surname or nickname attached:
刘姥爷 (Liú lǎoye) – Grandpa Liu
小刘姥爷 – a playful variant if there are two grandpas with similar names
Again, this is more regional, but bilingual kids with family in the north may hear it.
17. 大外公 (dà wàigōng) – The “older” grandpa
When there are multiple grandparent-aged men in the extended family, families sometimes create labels like:
大外公 – the elder “outside grandpa”
小外公 – the younger “outside grandpa”
These don’t replace the core terms, they refine them.
18. 大爷爷 (dà yéye) – Grandpa’s older brother
Strictly speaking, this is “Grandpa’s older brother,” not your direct grandpa. But many children simply experience 大爷爷 as “another grandpa figure.”
He may function like an extra grandpa in the family network, so the title matters in how kids see relationships.
Part 5: Cute Nicknames and Bilingual Mixes
Let’s be honest: real families rarely stick to textbook labels. Here are some “messy but real” names your child might use or hear.
19. 爷爷爷 (Yéyéyé) – Toddler-speak
Young children learning to talk sometimes repeat syllables and end up with things like 爷爷爷. Most families don’t correct it too fast because, frankly, it’s adorable.
Over time, it usually settles back to 爷爷.
20. Gong Gong / Yeh Yeh (English spelling of Cantonese)
In Cantonese-speaking communities overseas, it’s common to import the Cantonese sound into English:
“Gong Gong” (公公) – grandpa on Mum’s side
“Yeh Yeh” (爺爺) – grandpa on Dad’s side
You’ll see these spellings in English texts, messages, and even on birthday cakes.
21. Agong / Ah Gong – English spelling of 阿公
Similarly, families with Hokkien / Taiwanese roots often write:
“Agong” or “Ah Gong” for 阿公
This is a perfectly fine way for your child to keep both languages connected: Chinese at home, romanized form in English messages.
22. Grandpa Yéye – Hybrid name
Some kids naturally blend:
“Grandpa Yéye”
“Grandpa Wai Gong”
This kind of mixing is normal in bilingual families. Over time, as your child’s Chinese confidence grows, those English pieces can gently drop away if you want.
23. Canadian Grandpa / 中国爷爷
In cross-cultural families, you might see labels based on location:
中国爷爷 – “China Grandpa”
American Grandpa / Canadian Grandpa in English
Don’t underestimate how useful this is for children who travel a lot or do frequent video calls. It gives them anchor points in both languages.
24. 网络爷爷 (wǎngluò yéye) – “Online Grandpa”
You won’t find this in dictionaries, but some kids jokingly call a grandpa they mostly see on video calls “网络爷爷” (literally “internet grandpa”).
Is it standard? No. Is it a charming sign that your child is using Chinese creatively? Yes.
Part 6: Everyday Phrases Kids Can Use with Grandpa
Now that we’ve met a lot of names, let’s finish the list with actual phrases kids can say. These combine the titles with real-life situations.
You can swap 爷爷 with 外公 / 公公 / 阿公 / 姥爷 depending on your family.
25. 爷爷好！(yéye hǎo!) – Hi Grandpa!
Short, polite, and perfect for both in-person visits and video calls.
26. 爷爷早上好！(yéye zǎoshang hǎo!) – Good morning, Grandpa!
A tiny step up in politeness and warmth. Great first line when your child shows up on screen.
27. 爷爷，我想听您讲故事。
(yéye, wǒ xiǎng tīng nín jiǎng gùshi.) Grandpa, I’d like to hear you tell a story.
This one opens the door to language-rich moments. Story time with grandpa is high-quality input in any language.
28. 谢谢爷爷，我爱您。
(xièxie yéye, wǒ ài nín.) Thank you, Grandpa, I love you.
Simple, sincere, and worth practising. Once your child can say this line comfortably, you’ve already won more than any vocabulary list.
A Quick Reality Check for International Families
After reading about 28 options, you might be thinking, “We’ll never remember all of that.”
You don’t need to.
A practical approach many bilingual families use:
Pick one clear term for Dad’s dad (often 爷爷).
Pick one clear term for Mom’s dad (外公 / 公公 / 姥爷, depending on your roots).
Use surnames or nicknames when there are many grandpa-aged people around.
Treat regional and dialect words as “bonus vocabulary” — nice to know, not urgent.
Over time, as your child’s Chinese grows, they’ll naturally soak up the extras from relatives, stories, and class.
Recommended Resources to Explore Family Words in Chinese
If you want to dig a bit deeper after this article, these types of resources are helpful:
A family-words article from a major online Chinese school (for example, WuKong or GoEast) explaining 父母、爷爷奶奶、外公外婆 in a table.
A family vocabulary post from a site like FluentU or Du Chinese with audio and example dialogues.
The LingoAce blog, where family topics often appear in posts about daily Chinese phrases for kids.
You don’t have to read everything. Even skimming one or two high-quality resources will give you more ideas for what to say at home.
Ending
One English “Grandpa” hides a lot of detail; Chinese lets your child show it. With just a few of these 28 names and phrases, your family can start talking to 爷爷 and 外公 in a more personal, culturally grounded way.
If you and your child want to explore more family words, stories, and kid-friendly Chinese phrases like these, you can book a free trial class with LingoAce.
