How to Say “Grandparents” in Chinese
Relationships and family · HSK 2
"Grandparents" in Chinese is 爷爷奶奶 (yé ye nǎi nai). Chinese grandparent terms split paternal and maternal sides rigorously. 爷爷 (yéye, paternal grandfather), 奶奶 (nǎinai, paternal grandmother), 外公 (wàigōng, maternal grandfather), 外婆 (wàipó, maternal grandmother).
Primary translation
爷爷奶奶
yé ye nǎi nai
Traditional: 爺爺奶奶
When to use it
Chinese grandparent terms split paternal and maternal sides rigorously. 爷爷 (yéye, paternal grandfather), 奶奶 (nǎinai, paternal grandmother), 外公 (wàigōng, maternal grandfather), 外婆 (wàipó, maternal grandmother). 外 means "outside / external", reflecting the traditional Chinese convention where the maternal grandparents are "external" to the paternal lineage. Collective terms: 爷爷奶奶 covers both paternal. 祖父母 (zǔfùmǔ) is the formal general "grandparents" used in legal/formal writing.
Example sentences
我爷爷八十岁了。
Wǒ yéye bāshí suì le.
My grandfather is 80 years old.
去外婆家吃饭。
Qù wàipó jiā chīfàn.
Going to grandma's house for dinner.
奶奶做的菜最好吃。
Nǎinai zuò de cài zuì hǎochī.
Grandma's cooking is the best.