爷 (yé) - grandfather & father

爷Tone 2

yé ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 父

嬿一

爷 · yé

grandfather;

father;

respectful term for an older man;

also used colloquially to refer to oneself arrogantly.

grandfatherfatherrespectful term for an older man

Usage highlights

grandfathergrandpaold masterbig shotman/menuncle

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My paternal grandfather (爷爷) is very kind.
  • The old master (老爷) lived in the mansion.
  • He acts like a big shot (大爷) in the neighborhood.
  • In Beijing dialect, people might say '哥们儿，爷们儿' (bro, man).

Collocations

  • grandfather(爷爷)
  • grandpa(爷爷)
  • old master(老爷)
  • big shot(大爷)
  • man/men(爷们)
  • uncle(爷叔)

Idioms

  • The Old Man of the South Pole brings longevity(南极寿翁，福如东海，寿比南山)
  • Every family has its difficult sutra to recite(家家有本难念的经，老爷们儿也不易)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally meant 'father' in classical Chinese, now primarily means 'grandfather' in modern usage.
  • Used respectfully for elderly men or deities, e.g., 老天爷 (Heavenly Grandfather/God).
  • In northern dialects, 爷们儿 refers to men/males, emphasizing masculinity.

FAQ