奶奶

• Pinyin: nǎi nai
• Hanzi breakdown: 奶 = 女 (woman) + 乃 (phonetic component)

Meaning

Grandmother (paternal); grandma. Specifically refers to one's father's mother.

In Chinese kinship terms, 奶奶 specifically means the paternal grandmother. The maternal grandmother is called 姥姥 or 外婆. This distinction is important in Chinese family culture. Can also be used as a respectful address for elderly women.

Examples

1. 奶奶今年八十岁了。 Grandma is eighty years old this year.
2. 我奶奶住在北京。 My grandma lives in Beijing.
3. 奶奶做的饭最好吃。 The food grandma makes is the best.

Usage Guide

Context: family, everyday

Tone: affectionate

Do Say

• 奶奶，您身体好吗？(Grandma, how is your health?)
• 我很想奶奶。(I miss my grandma a lot.)

Don't Say

• 叫妈妈的妈妈奶奶。(Don't call your maternal grandmother 奶奶 — she is 姥姥 or 外婆; 奶奶 is only for your father's mother)

Origin & History

A reduplication of 奶. Originally 奶 referred to the breast or mother; the reduplicated form 奶奶 became the standard term for paternal grandmother.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal