Definition
祖父 (zǔ fù) is the formal, written term for 'paternal grandfather' — used in official documents, biographies, or respectful speech. In everyday conversation, Chinese speakers almost always use the colloquial 爷爷 (yé ye) instead. Do not confuse 祖父 with 外公 (wài gōng), which means 'maternal grandfather'.
noun
paternal grandfather
Examples
- 祖父。Wǒ de zǔ fù shì yí wèi yīshēng.My paternal grandfather is a doctor.
- 祖父？Nǐ zǔ fù niánqīng de shíhou xǐhuan lǚxíng ma?Did your paternal grandfather like to travel when he was young?
- 祖父。zǔ fù chángcháng gěi wǒ jiǎng tā xiǎoshíhou de gùshì.Grandfather often tells me stories from his childhood.
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