堂表亲
táng biǎo qīn
In Chinese, the phrase for cousins is 堂表亲 (táng biǎo qīn).
The term 堂表亲 is used to refer to the children of one's aunts and uncles.
Which one should you use?
The character 表 refers to cousins who are related through your mother's side or your father's sisters. You can also use the shorter form 表亲 to refer to cousins in a formal context.
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify an older male cousin, use 表哥. For an older female cousin, use 表姐. For a younger male cousin, use 表弟. And for a younger female cousin, use 表妹. When referring to older male and female cousins together, you can use 堂哥堂姐 and for younger male and female cousins, you can use 堂弟堂妹.
How do you pronounce it?
táng biǎo qīn
Did you know?
- The character 表 (biǎo), used in one type of cousin, also means 'outside' or 'surface'. This implies that these relatives are considered to be on the 'outside' of the immediate paternal family line.
- The term 堂 (táng) literally means 'hall' or 'ancestral home'. It distinguishes cousins who belong to the same household or ancestral lineage as you.
- In some traditional contexts, the distinction between 堂 and 表 was used to determine inheritance rights and social obligations within a clan.
Examples in context
- 她是我表妹。She is my younger cousin.
- 大表哥，你好吗？Hello, older male cousin. How are you?
- 堂妹，我们一起去逛街吧。Cousin, let's go shopping together.
- 我和堂表亲的关系很好。Wǒ hé tángbiǎoqīn de guānxì hěn hǎo.I have a good relationship with my cousins.
- 你的堂表亲都住在哪里？Nǐ de tángbiǎoqīn dōu zhù zài nǎlǐ?Where do all your cousins live?
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their family holiday plans.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你假期打算回家吗？Nǐ jiàqī dǎsuàn huíjiā ma?Do you plan to go home for the holidays?
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，我想见见我的堂表亲。Shì de, wǒ xiǎng jiànjiàn wǒ de tángbiǎoqīn.Yes, I want to see my cousins.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你们经常见面吗？Nǐmen jīngcháng jiànmiàn ma?Do you see them often?
- 俊杰 Junjie不经常，我们一年见一次。Bù jīngcháng, wǒmen yīnián jiàn yīcì.Not often, we see each other once a year.
