表姐妹 (biǎo jiě mèi) — female cousins on the mother's side or from the father's sister (different surname)

Definition

Female cousins linked through your mother's side or your father's sister — different surname, not blood-related through your father. Compare 堂姐妹 (paternal aunt's daughters, same surname).

noun
female cousins on the mother's side or from the father's sister (different surname)

Examples

  • 表姐妹，，。
    Wǒ de biǎo jiě mèi zhōng, biǎo jiě yǐ jīng gōng zuò le, biǎo mèi hái zài shàng xué.
    Among my female cousins, the older one is already working, and the younger one is still in school.
  • ，表姐妹。
    Chūn jié de shí hou, wǒ cháng cháng hé jǐ gè biǎo jiě mèi yì qǐ chū qù wán.
    During the Spring Festival, I often go out to play with a few female cousins.
  • 表姐妹，。
    Tā yǒu hěn duō biǎo jiě mèi, dàn zhǐ yǒu yí gè qīn mèi mei.
    She has many female cousins, but only one biological younger sister.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

表biǎocousin
姐妹sisters
姐jiěelder sister妹mèiyounger sister
联合Side by side

表 gives a cousin relation, while 姐妹 gives sisters; together female cousins.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 表 pairs 衣 (garment) with 毛 (hair or feather), originally an outer garment.

Open 表 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě姐jiě
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 女 part points to a woman, and 且 is a sound component.

Open 姐 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚfemale, woman
Sound part声符shēngfú
未
未wèi妹mèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

妹 combines 女, a woman, with 未, which gives the sound.

Open 妹 →

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