4 ms·
Anybody care to introduce me to this? Why does it have to be father's sister but mother's sibling? And how does elder and younger cousins behave differently?
by aitchnyu 7y ago
Anybody care to introduce me to this? Why does it have to be father's sister but mother's sibling? And how does elder and younger cousins behave differently?
- epaga 7y agoI am pretty sure it is because in some languages (such as Arabic), there are specific, different words for relatives in those different cases. Someone more knowledgable than I can probably confirm.
- masklinn 7y agoThis one seems to come from chinese * in many EA and SEA culture, there's a difference made based on the age differential aka different term of address to people older than you v younger than you, also gender * chinese (and likely others) also make a difference between patrilineal relationships and matrilineal, so there's a term of address for people related through the father's brother (and thus sharing your family name) versus other parent's sibling (not sharing your family name). The combination of the two yields what you have above: * cousins through your father's brother (sharing family name) are 堂 (táng) all others are 表 (biǎo) * older brother is 兄 (xiōng), younger brother is 弟 (dì), elder sister is 姊 (zǐ) and younger sister is 妹 (mèi) Therefore an older "sister" (same generational rank) through an other line than your father brothers would be 表姊 (biǎozǐ).
- echaozh 7y agoWell we mainlanders prefer 姐（jie）. Biaozi sounds the same as bitch so it's never heard.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]