Grandma and Grandpa

[xxtamxx]

Heya, (I posted this in another forum then found this one! - sorry!)

Basically, I'm looking to get a tattoo in memorial of my grandparents. I'm hoping to have two interlocking hearts (one pink and one blue) and have the chinese symbol for grandma and grandpa inside the hearts.

So is it possible for you to provide me with the translations? They are both from my fathers side (paternal) grandparents.

Thank You!

x

[ABCinChina]

Hello, hope this helps. (there's no single character word for grandpa or grandma)

Grandpa = 爺爺

Grandma = 奶奶

[renzhe]

I think that 爺 alone would suffice, but 奶 alone definitely wouldn't. Both are informal.

[Hofmann]

祖 can be grandfather or ancestors in general. 祖父 is paternal grandfather. 祖母 is paternal grandmother, but these terms have two characters, which doesn't look that great.

[skylee]

Grandpa = 祖父

Grandma = 祖母

Perhaps you could consider putting the common character 祖 in the middle of the interlocking hearts, then 父 on the right and 母 on the left.

Not sure if the above is a good idea.

Personally I don't support tattooing. But you don't need this advice I think.

[xxtamxx]

Ok so I have

Grandpa = 爺爺

Grandma = 奶奶

From ABC China

And

祖父 is paternal grandfather.

祖母 is paternal grandmother

From Hofmann and skylee.

Any idea why there are two different answers?

x

[xxtamxx]

Hey,

Ive been doing some looking around on the internet and I found these pictures, are they the real thing? What do they mean??

Grandmother

Grandfather

????

[ABCinChina]

爺爺 & 奶奶 are both informal for both paternal grandpa and grandma. Of course, 祖父 & 祖母 are the formal versions that probably look better on a tattoo. The pictures you provided are 祖父 & 祖母 with the 祖 on top. Perhaps you could connect them like that in your tat.

Edit: Skylee's advice sounds somewhat cool. Any other thoughts on the possible coolness of doing that??

[Javer Chen]

爷爷&奶奶 is also formal. it's more colloquial than 祖父&祖母 and used commonly in real life.

[renzhe]

Any idea why there are two different answers?

The Chinese place a lot of importance on family relationships and have many different ways to address one's elders. Both are correct, one is more formal than the other.

Ive been doing some looking around on the internet and I found these pictures, are they the real thing? What do they mean??

It's 祖父 & 祖母 written vertically, but not terribly pretty.

[xxtamxx]

Hey guys, thank you so much for all your replys, they are greatly appreciated, you've given me alot to think about!

Skylee - I do like that idea and I am currently in the proccess of drawing up some designs so will definitely consider it!!

I'm still unsure which one to use, however I do like those pictures and the way it is layed out there.

Thanks again!

x