爺
old man, grampa
Readings
On'yomi
- ヤ
Kun'yomi
- じい
- じじい
- おやじ
- じじ
- ちち
Meaning
爺 centers on an elderly male figure, specifically an old man or grandfather. The given meanings are direct applications of that core idea.
Most common words using 爺
- お爺ちゃんおじいちゃん
grandpa; granddad
- 爺じじ
old man
- 爺さんじいさんN1
grandfather
- 爺ちゃんじいちゃん
grandfather
- 糞爺くそじじい
old man; old goat
- お爺ちゃまおじいちゃま
grandpa; gramps
- エロ爺エロじじい
dirty old man; pervert; lecher
- 好々爺こうこうや
good-natured old man
- 子泣き爺こなきじじい
Konaki Jijii (a ghost in Japanese folklore with the shape of a small old man and having a baby's cry)
- 洞爺湖サミットとうやこサミット
G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit; Hokkaido Toyako G8 summit
- 爺むさいじじむさい
like an old man; doddering; wizened; frowzy; seedy
- 爺やじいや
elderly handyman; elderly manservant
- 狸爺たぬきじじい
cunning old man
- 老爺おやじ
old man; (old) geezer
- 老爺ろうや
old man
Study
Etymology
爺 combines 父 (father) with 耶, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to an elderly male relative, consistent with the father component.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 父 suggests a father figure, and the bottom 耶 looks like an old man with a cane. Together, 爺 is an old man or grandpa.
Reading mnemonic
For ヤ, imagine an old man yelling 'Yah!' as he gets up from his chair: Yah -> ヤ, and the old man is 爺.