tong4 dai6堂弟
Jyutpingtong4 dai6
Yaletòhng daih
Definition
The son of one's father's brother, who is younger than oneself.
neutralfamilypeople
How it's used
Kinship terms in Cantonese are highly specific and distinguish between paternal and maternal sides, as well as relative age. Using 堂弟 specifically identifies the cousin as the son of your father's brother, whereas cousins from your mother's side or your father's sister's side are referred to as 表弟. This distinction is strictly maintained in traditional family structures.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
I am going to watch a movie with my younger paternal cousin tomorrow.
Is your younger paternal cousin studying abroad?
Related words
Common phrases
close paternal younger cousin
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 堂弟 for any male cousin, but it is exclusively for paternal cousins sharing the same surname. If the cousin is from your mother's side, you must use 表弟 instead.
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.
