ばあちゃん

also: ばぁちゃん

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

granny; grandma; gran

familiar languageusually written using kana alone

Familiar, affectionate term for one's own grandmother. Used within the family or when speaking to children about their grandmother.

See also: おばあちゃん

ばあちゃんが作つくってくれたおにぎりが一いち番ばん好すき。
I love the rice balls my granny makes the most.
夏なつ休やすみはいつも田舎いなかのばあちゃんの家いえに行いくんだ。
During summer vacation, I always go to my grandma's house in the countryside.

2

old lady; old woman

familiar languageusually written using kana alone

Familiar, sometimes slightly informal way to refer to an elderly woman who is not necessarily a relative. Can be friendly or mildly impolite depending on context; safer with おばあちゃん in polite situations.

See also: おばあちゃん

近きん所じょのばあちゃんがいつも飴あめをくれる。
The old lady in the neighborhood always gives me candy.
あのばあちゃん、毎まい朝あさ公こう園えんを散さん歩ぽしてるよ。
That old woman takes a walk in the park every morning.

See all 93 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉はばあちゃん子こだsomeone who was raised by, or is very attached to, their grandmother
彼かれはばあちゃん子こで、いつも祖そ母ぼのそばにいた。
He was a grandma's boy and was always by his grandmother's side.
ばあちゃんの味あじthe familiar, nostalgic taste of grandma's home cooking
このみそ汁しるはばあちゃんの味あじがする。
This miso soup tastes like my grandma's cooking.

Kanji

婆old woman, grandma, wet nurse
祖ancestor, pioneer, founder
母mother

Related words

ばあさんN1sense 2
婆さん is a blunt, sometimes rough way to refer to an old woman, while 婆ちゃん usually carries more warmth and is especially common for children speaking of their own grandmother.
婆ばば
婆ちゃん is a warm, affectionate way to refer to an old woman or grandmother, whereas 婆 alone often carries a blunt or slightly rude tone.

Politeness

祖そ母ぼpolite 丁寧語N4sense 1
祖母 is the neutral, formal word for one's grandmother used in official or written contexts, while 婆ちゃん is the affectionate, familial term used at home.
おばあさんpolite 丁寧語N5
おばあさん is the standard, polite word for an elderly woman or grandmother, while 婆ちゃん is a casual, affectionate term used mainly within the family or by children.

Don't confuse with

じいちゃん
ばあちゃん means grandma and is easily confused with じいちゃん (grandpa) since the two differ only by the gendered prefix.

Counted with

人にん
counter for people

Word family

おばあちゃん
granny; grandma; gran · old lady; old woman

Written forms

婆ばあちゃん
Kanji spelling using 婆; less common but still seen.
祖母ばあちゃん
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; the kanji 祖母 normally reads そぼ.
ばーちゃん
Search-only kana variant with long vowel mark.

Etymology

A contracted, familiar form of おばあちゃん, itself derived from お祖母ちゃん or directly from ばあ (baby-talk for grandmother) + ちゃん (affectionate suffix).