biu2 ze2表姐
Jyutpingbiu2 ze2
Yalebíu jé
Definition
Older female cousin sharing a different surname; formerly used to address a young woman from mainland China.
- older female cousin who is the daughter of one's father's sister, or mother's sibling
- dateda term of address for a young woman from mainland China
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Kinship terms in Cantonese are highly specific, distinguishing between maternal and paternal sides as well as relative age. Using 表姐 specifically identifies a cousin whose surname is different from one's own, which is a crucial distinction in traditional family structures. While it can be used as a generic term for older female cousins, it is technically incorrect for children of one's father's brothers, who would be 堂姐.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My elder female cousin is coming to visit us next week.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 表姐 with 堂姐. Remember that 堂 refers to cousins who share the same paternal grandfather and thus the same surname, while 表 refers to all other cousins.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
