How do you say "grandfather" in Chinese?

祖父

zǔ fù

Noun Hanzi

In Chinese, "grandfather" is 祖父 (zǔ fù).

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Pronunciation

Pronounce this as "zǔ fù": "zǔ" is dipping down and curling back up (tone 3), then "fù" is falling fast and sharp, like a command (tone 4).

Writing and usage

祖父 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.

Example sentence

我祖父讲了很多精彩的故事。

wǒ zǔ fù jiǎng le hěn duō jīng cǎi de gù shì 。

My grandfather tells wonderful stories.

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How to remember 祖父

Whisper "zǔ fù" to yourself while picturing the word in action — that pairing helps "祖父" (zǔ fù) stay put.

Related words

Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.

Questions about 祖父

How do you pronounce 祖父?

Pronounce this as "zǔ fù": "zǔ" is dipping down and curling back up (tone 3), then "fù" is falling fast and sharp, like a command (tone 4).

Is 祖父 formal or casual?

祖父 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is 祖父 used in Chinese?

祖父 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 我祖父讲了很多精彩的故事。 (My grandfather tells wonderful stories.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Grandfather" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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