Grandmother · 祖母
Grandmother in Chinese: 奶奶 vs 外婆
Chinese does not have one word for “grandmother”. 奶奶 (nǎi nai) is your father's mother; 外婆 (wài pó) is your mother's mother. The pair is a good test of the whole kinship system: choosing the right word also states which side of the family you mean.
The short answer
nǎi nai
paternal grandmother
Use for your father's mother.
wài pó
maternal grandmother
Use for your mother's mother.
Which one should you use?
The standard word across Mandarin, and the one used in most textbooks. In formal writing: 祖母 zǔmǔ.
Standard in most of China and in nearly all writing. In northern speech the everyday word is 姥姥 lǎolao; formal: 外祖母 wàizǔmǔ.
The grandmother words, side by side
Three rows are enough to see the pattern: the word itself carries the side of the family.
Select any term to open its card with audio, meaning and an example.
| English | Term | Pinyin | Who exactly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| paternal grandmother | nǎi nai | your father's mother | Also 祖母 zǔmǔ. In Min- and Yue-speaking regions you will also hear 阿嬷 āmā or 阿婆 āpó. | |
| maternal grandmother | wài pó | your mother's mother | In northern China: 姥姥 lǎolao. Formal: 外祖母 wàizǔmǔ. | |
| great-grandmother | zēng zǔ mǔ | your grandfather's mother | Also 太奶奶 in everyday northern speech. |
Everyday regional forms such as 姥姥 (lǎolao, maternal grandmother) are not separate dictionary entries on this page, but you will hear them constantly in northern China.
In a sentence
这是我外婆，她今年七十八岁。Zhè shì wǒ wàipó, tā jīnnián qīshíbā suì.
This is my maternal grandmother — she is seventy-eight this year.
我奶奶住在北京，我们每个月都去看她。Wǒ nǎinai zhù zài Běijīng, wǒmen měi gè yuè dōu qù kàn tā.
My paternal grandmother lives in Beijing; we visit her every month.
Common mistakes
- Calling your mother's mother 奶奶. Some families do this deliberately, but the standard system treats the two grandmothers as different words.
- Confusing 外婆 (wàipó, maternal grandmother) with 婆婆 (pópo, mother-in-law). The characters are different and so are the tones.
- Assuming 外 means “outside the family” or “less close”. It marks the mother's side in a traditionally patrilineal naming system — not a comment on affection.
The cultural bit
What the word carries
The character 外 (wài) literally means “outer”, and it survives in 外公, 外婆, 外孙 and 外甥 — the mother's side of the family in the old patrilineal structure. Modern families often soften it: many young parents use 爷爷奶奶 for both sides, and northerners say 姥姥/姥爷. Learn the standard terms first, then follow the family you are speaking to.
Questions
Is 外婆 the same as 姥姥?
They refer to the same person. 外婆 is standard in most of China and in writing; 姥姥 is the everyday northern word. Neither is more correct — they are regional variants of the same relationship.
Why does 外婆 contain the character 外?
外 (“outer”) marks the mother's side in a patrilineal system where the father's line carried the surname and the ancestral hall. It is a historical structural marker, not an insult, and it is still the normal word across most of southern and central China.
Can I just call both grandmothers 奶奶?
Some families do, especially younger urban families. In the standard system you would distinguish them. If you are meeting someone's family, ask which word they use before you choose.
How do you pronounce 奶奶?
奶奶 is nǎi nai — a third tone followed by a neutral tone. Both syllables are short; the second is lighter than the first. Use the listen button on this page to hear it.
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