Chinese Conversation · Level 3
86 words
Chinese word
堂姐
Pronunciation
Pinyintáng jiě
Meaning
- nounolder female cousin
Example
我昨天见了堂姐。wǒ zuó tiān jiàn le táng jiě
I saw my older female cousin yesterday.
More examples
过年我会去看堂姐。guò nián wǒ huì qù kàn táng jiě
During the New Year holiday, I will go see my older female cousin.
Core concept
The father's-side cousin who occupies an older-sister position in the family.
Common phrases
我的堂姐wǒ de táng jiě
my older female cousin
跟堂姐出去玩gēn táng jiě chū qù wán
go out and have fun with my older female cousin
给堂姐买礼物gěi táng jiě mǎi lǐ wù
buy a gift for my older female cousin
Similar words
表姐biáo jiě: A female cousin who is older and belongs to the mother's or another family line.
堂妹táng mèi: A female cousin who is younger and belongs to the father's family line.
表妹biǎo mèi: A female cousin who is younger and belongs to the mother's or another family line.
姐jiě: A warm, familiar form of address for an older girl or woman.
Definition in Chinese
父方有血缘关系、比自己年长且通常同姓的女性亲属。fù fāng yǒu xuè yuán guān xì bǐ zì jǐ nián zhǎng qiě tōng cháng tóng xìng de nǚ xìng qīn shǔ
Word origin
堂 (táng, "same paternal line") + 姐 (jiě, "older sister") combine a lineage marker with an age-and-gender term to form this kinship title.
Usage tips
- English usually leaves lineage, age, and gender unstated in one family label, while Chinese can make all three parts clear in a single everyday term.
Other meanings
- cousinnoun
- female cousinnoun
Opposites
- 堂妹táng mèiyounger female cousinnoun
Related words
- 堂姐夫táng jiě fūolder female cousin's husbandnoun