daai6 zi2大姊
Jyutpingdaai6 zi2
Yaledaaih jí
Definition
Eldest sister; the female sibling who is the oldest.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
While 家姐 is the general term for any older sister, 大姊 specifically highlights the eldest one among siblings. It carries a slightly more formal or respectful tone than just using the name or a generic title. In some families, it is also used as a respectful term of address for a woman who is older than the speaker, even if they are not related by blood.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My eldest sister is coming back to Hong Kong to visit me next week.
Does your eldest sister work at that company?
Related words
Common phrases
the eldest sister (often used playfully or to describe a bossy older sister)
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 大姐, which is often used in Mandarin to address a middle-aged woman politely. In Cantonese, using 大姊 for a stranger can sometimes sound overly formal or even slightly old-fashioned depending on the context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
