‘太爷’ (tài yé) is a respectful kinship term meaning ‘great-grandfather’ on the paternal side — that is, the father of one’s grandfather. The character ‘太’ (tài) literally means ‘great’ or ‘grand’, signaling a generation further back than ‘爷爷’ (grandfather), while ‘爷’ (yé) means ‘grandfather’ or ‘elder male ancestor’. Together, they form a compound noun denoting the paternal great-grandfather specifically, not to be confused with maternal great-grandfathers (who are called ‘太姥爷’). This term reflects Chinese naming conventions where lineage and generational hierarchy are precisely encoded in vocabulary.

‘太爷’ is commonly used in family conversations, genealogical records, and storytelling about ancestors. It carries warmth and reverence but is rarely used as a direct form of address — instead, people often say ‘太爷爷’ (tài yé ye) for clarity and added respect. In formal contexts like family trees or historical documents, ‘太爷’ may appear without the reduplicative ending, especially when emphasizing generational position over personal address.