外公

• 병음: wài gōng
• 한자 분석: 外 = 夕 (evening) + 卜 (divination) — divining outside at dusk, hence 'outside/external'; 公 = 八 (divide) + 厶 (private) — originally 'public,' extended to honorific for elder men

뜻

외할아버지

Predominantly used in southern China and among overseas Chinese communities; northern speakers more commonly say 姥爷 (lǎoye). The 外- prefix in Chinese kinship terms marks relatives on the mother's side, a vestige of patrilineal classical kinship taxonomy. Both terms are equally affectionate — the split is purely regional, not social.

예문

1. 我外公今年八十多岁了，但身体还很硬朗，每天坚持出门散步。
2. 每到暑假我都会去外公家住上一个月，那段时光是我最珍贵的记忆。
3. 外公年轻时是一名工程师，退休后迷上了种花养草，院子里四季都有鲜花盛开。

사용 가이드

맥락: family, everyday

어조: affectionate

올바른 표현

• 外公特别疼我，每次去他家他都亲手给我做好吃的。(My maternal grandpa dotes on me — every time I visit he cooks all my favourites himself.)
• 外公年纪大了，我们要抽时间多陪陪他。(Grandpa is getting on in years; we should make time to be with him more.)

피해야 할 표현

• 在东北或华北对人说'我外公'时可能引发困惑 — 北方通用说法是'姥爷' (In northern China, 外公 may not be immediately understood; use 姥爷 when speaking with northern audiences)

기원과 역사

Compound of 外 (outer, maternal side in kinship) + 公 (grandfather; honorific for elder men). The 外- prefix consistently marks maternal-side relatives in Chinese: 外公, 外婆, 外甥, 外孙.

문화적 배경

세대: All ages

사회적 배경: Universal