じいさん
Meanings
grandfather; granddad
Familiar or casual word for one's grandfather. It is less polite and softer than some contexts allow; おじいさん or 祖父 is safer in polite speech. May also follow a name as a familiar honorific.
See also: おじいさん
I went to my granddad's house during summer vacation.
My granddad takes a walk every morning.
old man; elderly man; male senior citizen
Casual, familiar, and sometimes blunt way to refer to an elderly man. With a name, as in 佐藤じいさん, it can sound rustic or familiar rather than formally polite.
See also: じいちゃん
An old man was sitting alone on a bench in the park.
Old Mr. Sato is the senior elder of the village.
Usage patterns
- 〈場所〉のじいさんthe old man from a certain place (a familiar elderly man)
The old man from the neighborhood is growing flowers in his garden.
- 〈人〉じいさんold Mr. So-and-so (a name plus じいさん as a familiar honorific)
Old Mr. Sato is always sitting on the bench in the park.
- 頑固なじいさんa stubborn old man (typical adjective describing an old man)
He's a stubborn old man who won't listen to others' opinions.