外公

• 拼音: wài gōng
• 汉字拆解: 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

含义

Maternal grandfather. The father of one's mother, addressed and referred to with warmth and familiarity.

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.

例句

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。

用法指南

语境: family, everyday

语气: affectionate

正确说法

• 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.)

错误说法

• 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)

起源与历史

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.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal