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老公公 (lǎo gōng gōng) — (informal) grandpa, old man (affectionate term for an elderly man); (archaic) husband's father (father-in-law); (historical) eunuch

Definition

Affectionate, informal way to address or refer to an elderly man — like 'grandpa' in tone. 老公公 also has older senses: the husband's father (now usually 公公) and, historically, a eunuch in the imperial court.

noun
(informal) grandpaold man (affectionate term for an elderly man)(archaic) husband's father (father-in-law)(historical) eunuch
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 老公公，。
    lǎo gōng gōng, Nín màn diǎn r zǒu.
    Grandpa, please walk a bit slower.
  • 老公公。
    Nà ge lǎo gōng gōng měi tiān zài gōng yuán lǐ xià qí.
    That old man plays chess in the park every day.
  • 老公公。
    Xiǎo míng jiào tā de yé ye lǎo gōng gōng.
    Little Ming calls his grandpa 'old grandpa'.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

老lǎofamiliar
公公elderly man/grandfather
公gōngmale/grandfather公gōngmale/grandfather
重叠Reduplication

The familiar 老 combines with 公公 to mean an elderly man or grandfather.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

One theory sees 公 as a picture of a wide-mouthed, round-bottomed jar.

Open 公 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

One theory sees 公 as a picture of a wide-mouthed, round-bottomed jar.

Open 公 →
Appears in
Family & KinshipLife Stages & Age

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