おじいちゃん

お

じ

い

ちゃ

ん

Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

grandpa; granddad

familiar languageusually written using kana alone

Affectionate, familiar term for one's own grandfather or an elderly man. Used mainly in casual, family settings.

おじいちゃん、これ読よんで。
Grandpa, read this for me.
週しゅう末まつはおじいちゃんの家いえに遊あそびに行いく。
I'm going to visit Grandpa's house this weekend.

See all 34 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

おじいちゃんに会あうto go see grandpa
夏なつ休やすみにおじいちゃんに会あいに行いった。
I went to see grandpa during summer vacation.
おじいちゃんの家いえに泊とまるto stay over at grandpa's house
毎まい年ねんお盆ぼんにはおじいちゃんの家いえに泊とまる。
Every year during Obon, I stay at my grandpa's house.
〈人ひと〉をおじいちゃんと呼よぶto call someone 'grandpa' affectionately
隣となりのおじさんを子こ供どもたちはおじいちゃんと呼よんでいる。
The children call the neighbor's uncle 'grandpa.'

Kanji

爺old man, grampa
祖ancestor, pioneer, founder
父father

Related words

おじいさんN5
おじいちゃん is a warm, family-style term used mainly by or to children within the household, while おじいさん is more neutral and can refer to any elderly man, not just one's own grandfather.

Opposites

おばあちゃん
おばあちゃん means grandma/an old woman, while おじいちゃん is the matching term for grandpa/an old man.

Politeness

祖そ父ふpolite 丁寧語N4
祖父 is the formal, neutral word used when referring to one's own grandfather in official or outside-the-family contexts, whereas おじいちゃん is the affectionate term used at home.

Counted with

人にん
counter for people

Written forms

お爺じいちゃん
Kanji spelling sometimes seen, but kana is preferred.
お祖父じいちゃん
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; may appear in older or formal writing.

Etymology

Derived from おじいさん (grandfather) with the affectionate suffix ちゃん, a variant of さん used for children and close family members.