爺

Another Chinese word that comes to my mind with a special meaning is grandfather (爺).

Once again, there is actually no satisfactory translation of this very word. It is definitely more than father of the father, which is supposed to be the literal meaning. In fact, the masculine implication of this word is faint, and is not infrequently used for powerful female leaders - for example, we all call Empress Dowager Cixi the Old Grand Buddha (老佛爺)

And, in addition to a close familial relation, there is in this word a hue of superiority, authority, governing, and being the lord for final appeal. To the citizens of an ex-colonial city, it means the ultimate jurisdiction from the Castle north to the Shenzhen river, behind the high walls of Zhongnanhai.

I must say our feeling to this phylogenetically direct but emotionally remote family member is more akin to the godfather of the Italians.