Definition

1. Noun:

   • Grandchild: A child of one's son or daughter.
   • Nephew or Niece: A child of one's sibling or sibling-in-law.
   • Younger Relative: A general term for a person from a younger generation within an extended family or clan, such as a first cousin once or twice removed.
   • Child: Used to refer to any young child, often one's own or someone else's, in a familiar or affectionate way.

2. Pronoun:

   • I / Me: A humble first-person singular pronoun used by a younger person when speaking to a much older relative (like a grandparent, aunt, or uncle) or to any elderly person as a sign of respect.
   • You: A second-person singular pronoun used by an older relative (like a grandparent, aunt, or uncle) when addressing a much younger relative or child.
   • He / She / Him / Her: A third-person singular pronoun used to refer to a child or young person in conversation.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Ông tôi có năm cháu. (My grandfather has five grandchildren.)
  • Cháu của chị tôi rất ngoan. (My sister's niece is very well-behaved.)
  • Ông được mấy cháu? (How many children do you have?)

• Pronoun (First Person):

  • Thưa bà, cháu xin phép về ạ. (Grandmother, I ask for permission to go home.)
  • Dạ, cháu cảm ơn cô. (Yes, I thank you, aunt.)

• Pronoun (Second Person):

  • Cháu ăn cơm chưa? (Have you eaten yet, child?)
  • Bố cháu có nhà không? (Is your father at home?)

• Pronoun (Third Person):

  • Cháu nó còn nhỏ, đừng la mắng. (He/She is still young, don't scold him/her.)

Advanced Usage

• The word cháu is central to the Vietnamese kinship and pronoun system, reflecting age hierarchy and respect. Its use as a pronoun avoids the direct use of "tôi" (I) or "bạn" (you) in familial or respectful contexts, maintaining social harmony.
• In formal or respectful speech to non-relatives who are significantly older, a young person will often refer to themselves as cháu and address the older person as "bác," "chú," or "cô" (all meaning aunt/uncle), effectively placing themselves in a familial, junior role.

Variants and Related Words

• Cháu nội (n): Paternal grandchild (son's child).
• Cháu ngoại (n): Maternal grandchild (daughter's child).
• Cháu trai (n): Grandson or nephew (specifically male).
• Cháu gái (n): Granddaughter or niece (specifically female).
• Cháu dâu (n): Granddaughter-in-law or niece-in-law.
• Chắt (n): Great-grandchild. This is the generation after cháu.

Synonyms

• Grandchild: Offspring of one's child.
• Nephew/Niece: Child of one's sibling.
• Youngster: A young person (in the pronominal sense).

Related Cultural Notes

• Cháu is more than a simple noun; it is a crucial relational pronoun. A person's pronoun (e.g., cháu, con, em, anh, chị, bác) changes dynamically based on the age and relationship of the person they are speaking to. This system is fundamental to Vietnamese communication.
• The question "" literally asks "How many grandchildren do you have?" but is commonly used as a polite way to ask an elderly person about their number of children and grandchildren collectively.

noun

1. Grandchild, grandson, granddaughter
2. Nephew, niece; firstcousin once or twice removed (used for addressing persons of the above said relatives' age or by them when addressing elderly people as self-appellation)
3. Child, children
   • ông được mấy cháu?
     how many children have you got?