老太太

• 拼音: lǎo tài tai
• 汉字拆解: 老 = 耂 (old) + 匕 (change); 太 = 大 (big) + a dot, meaning very or extremely; 太太 is a reduplication used as a respectful title

含义

Elderly woman; old lady. A respectful or familiar way to refer to an older woman.

A common, generally respectful term for an elderly woman. Can be used to refer to someone else's grandmother or any older woman in the neighbourhood. In some families, 老太太 is used to refer to the family matriarch. The tone ranges from respectful to affectionate depending on context. More polite alternatives include 老奶奶 or 老人家.

例句

1. 那位老太太每天早上在公园里散步。
2. 隔壁的老太太人很热情，经常给我们水果吃。
3. 老太太虽然八十岁了，身体还很好。

用法指南

语境: daily life, family, neighbourhood

语气: respectful

正确说法

• 这位老太太看起来很精神。(This elderly lady looks very energetic.)
• 老太太，您慢走！(Take care walking, ma'am! — said to elderly women.)

错误说法

• 你这个老太太！(Don't use 老太太 as a rude way to address someone to their face — it can sound impolite unless the context is clearly warm and familiar.)

起源与历史

老 means old or elderly; 太太 originally meant a respectful address for a married woman. Together, 老太太 specifies an elderly woman, often with affectionate overtones.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal