biu2 go1表哥
Jyutpingbiu2 go1
Yalebíu gō
Definition
Older male cousin on one's mother's side, or one's father's sister's side.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Cantonese kinship terms are highly specific based on the relative age and the parent's side of the family. 表哥 specifically refers to a male cousin who is older than you and shares a different surname, as he belongs to the maternal side or the paternal aunt's side. If the cousin is younger, you would use 表弟 instead.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My older male cousin is coming back from abroad to visit us next week.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 表哥 as a generic term for any male cousin, but it is strictly reserved for those older than the speaker. If the cousin is older but shares the same surname, he would be a 堂哥.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
