How to say 'Grandmother' in Japanese | 祖母

word

Meaning

Grandmother

Reading

Kanji

祖Ancestor 母Mother

Explanation

The Japanese noun '祖母 (そぼ)' refers to one's grandmother, specifically the mother of one's father or mother. It is a formal and respectful term used to refer to one's grandmother in various contexts. For example: My grandmother is kind「私の祖母は優しい」(わたしのそぼはやさしい). I visited my grandmother「祖母を訪ねた」(そぼをたずねた). The term is commonly used in both spoken and written Japanese, and it carries a sense of respect and affection. It is important to note that '祖母' is used specifically for one's own grandmother, and not for someone else's grandmother, for which the term 'おばあさん' might be more appropriate.

Part Of Speech

noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

3924

Composition

kanji

Handwriting