Translation guide
The English word "paternal" relates to fathers or the father's side of the family. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through specific family terms, adjectives, and descriptive phrases. The most natural translations depend on whether you are talking about your own father, someone else's father, or a fatherly quality.
To describe something that belongs to or comes from your own father, such as his relatives or traits.
This is the standard way to say 'paternal' when referring to relatives on your father's side. It literally means 'father's side'.
My paternal grandmother lives in Kyoto.
Means 'father's' and can be used for possessions or characteristics, but is less common for relatives than 父方の.
I borrowed my father's car.
To describe something related to another person's father, using polite language.
To describe a person or action that is like a father, often warm, protective, or authoritative.
To refer to something passed down from the father's side, such as genes or property.
The English word 'paternal' is often used in fixed phrases like 'paternal grandmother'. In Japanese, you cannot simply use an adjective equivalent; you must use the construction 父方の (father's side) + relative term. Saying 父親の祖母 would be confusing because it could mean 'father's grandmother' (i.e., great-grandmother).
The pattern is symmetric: 父方の (paternal) and 母方の (maternal). For example, 父方の祖父 (paternal grandfather) vs. 母方の祖父 (maternal grandfather).