外公

wàigōng
noun HSK 7 #7,694

Measure Word

Meanings

  1. 1 maternal grandfather
  2. 2 mother's father

Examples

Wǒ wàigōng jīnnián bāshí suì le.
My maternal grandfather is eighty years old this year.
Xiǎo shíhou, wǒ jīngcháng qù wàigōng jiā wán.
When I was little, I often went to play at my maternal grandfather's house.

Tips

usage
In Chinese, maternal and paternal grandparents have different terms: 外公/外婆 (maternal) vs. 爷爷/奶奶 (paternal). The prefix literally means 'outside' — reflecting the traditional view that married daughters belong to the husband's family.

Stroke Order

wài
gōng