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娭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
娭āigrandmother, father's mother; a term of respectzg, 10 strokes, radical 女
娭āigranny (dialect)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 女
娭āirespectful form of address for older ladyunknown, 10 strokes, radical 女
āi(ai1) T1
  1. 1grandmother, father's mother; a term of respect
  2. 2granny (dialect)
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March 24, 2026

娭āi(ai1)

The character 娭 (āi) refers specifically to a grandmother, particularly the father's mother, and is used as a term of respect. It is often seen in dialects and carries a connotation of affection and honor towards elder women, especially in familial contexts.

Strokes10Radical女
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, addressing elders with respect is deeply rooted in tradition, and 娭 reflects this value. The term is often used in dialects, illustrating the regional variations in how family relationships are expressed.

Memory Tip

Imagine an elderly woman surrounded by her grandchildren, smiling broadly. The character 娭 resembles a nurturing figure, with the '女' (nǚ) radical indicating femininity, and the '𠂇' part suggesting a connection to the family. Remember, 'āi' sounds like 'I' in 'I love my grandmother' to reinforce the warmth of this term.

Meanings of 娭

āi(ai1)
1grandmother, father's mother; a term of respect
2granny (dialect)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 娭

娭Simplified
10Strokes
女Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 娭

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Podcast: 娭

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AI Study Notes for 娭

Usage Notes

Learners might confuse 娭 with other family terms such as 妈 (mā, mother) or 祖母 (zǔmǔ, grandmother in general). It is more informal and affectionate, so use it in familial settings rather than formal introductions. Be careful with the tone; the first tone ('āi') must be pronounced correctly to avoid confusion.

HSK Study Tips

While 娭 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to familial terms often found in levels 3 and above. Focus on understanding its usage in context, especially concerning family relationships and respect for elders, which can enrich your vocabulary around family.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mix up 娭 with other terms for grandmother, leading to confusion. For example, saying '外祖母' (wàizǔmǔ) when referring to 娭 is incorrect; use 娭 to specifically denote the father's mother.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 娭

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Etymology of 娭

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)矣
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 娭

  1. 1The meaning half女 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half矣 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywoman
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 娭? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 娭?

Decomposition of 娭

IDS Structure⿰女矣
娭Full Character
=
女nü3
left
矣yi3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 娭?

How to say grandmother, father's mother; a term of respect in Chinese

“grandmother, father's mother; a term of respect” in Chinese is娭āi

The character 娭 (āi) refers specifically to a grandmother, particularly the father's mother, and is used as a term of respect. It is often seen in dialects and carries a connotation of affection and honor towards elder women, especially in familial contexts.

When to use 娭

Learners might confuse 娭 with other family terms such as 妈 (mā, mother) or 祖母 (zǔmǔ, grandmother in general). It is more informal and affectionate, so use it in familial settings rather than formal introductions. Be careful with the tone; the first tone ('āi') must be pronounced correctly to avoid confusion.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mix up 娭 with other terms for grandmother, leading to confusion. For example, saying '外祖母' (wàizǔmǔ) when referring to 娭 is incorrect; use 娭 to specifically denote the father's mother.

Write 娭

娭

Practice writing 娭 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 娭

Words Containing This Character1
娭āigranny (dialect)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 娭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 娭

No, 娭 is more informal and is typically used in familial or affectionate contexts.

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