biu2 zi2表姊
Jyutpingbiu2 zi2
Yalebíu jí
Definition
Older female cousin via the maternal side, or via paternal aunts.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Kinship terms in Cantonese are highly specific regarding the relative age and the side of the family. 表姊 refers specifically to a female cousin who is older than you and is the child of your parent's sibling of the opposite gender or a different surname. Using this term correctly shows an awareness of the complex hierarchy within extended families.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
I will go meet my older female cousin for dinner tomorrow.
Does your older female cousin live in Sham Shui Po?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 表姊 with 堂姊, but the latter is reserved strictly for a paternal cousin who shares the same surname as your father. If you are unsure of the exact relationship, using a more general term like 表親 or simply referring to them by name is safer.
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.
