‘姥爷’ (lǎo yé) is a respectful and affectionate term for one’s maternal grandfather—the father of one’s mother. The first character 姥 (lǎo) historically denotes maternal relatives (e.g., 姥姥 lǎo lǎo = maternal grandmother), while 爷 (yé) means ‘grandfather’ or ‘elder male relative’ and often conveys seniority and warmth. Together, they form a compound noun that is widely used in daily speech across Mandarin-speaking regions, especially in informal and family settings.

Unlike the more formal or literary term 外祖父 (wài zǔfù), ‘姥爷’ is colloquial, emotionally warm, and commonly heard in conversations among children, adults speaking to or about their grandparents, and in storytelling or media depicting family life. It reflects Chinese kinship terminology’s precision—distinguishing maternal from paternal lineage—and underscores cultural emphasis on familial roles and respect for elders.