‘表弟’ (biǎo dì) is a kinship term referring specifically to a male cousin on one’s mother’s side who is younger than the speaker. The first character, 表 (biǎo), denotes ‘maternal’ or ‘outside’ relatives — those connected through marriage or the mother’s lineage — as opposed to ‘paternal’ relatives marked by the character 堂 (táng). The second character, 弟 (dì), means ‘younger brother’, indicating both gender and relative age. Together, 表弟 signals a familial relationship that is socially recognized, often involving close interaction during childhood, shared family gatherings, and mutual obligations in traditional Chinese culture.

This term reflects the precision of Chinese kinship terminology, where distinctions based on lineage (maternal vs. paternal), gender, and age are encoded directly in vocabulary. It is commonly used in daily conversation when introducing family members, recounting childhood memories, or discussing family responsibilities. Unlike English ‘cousin’, which lacks these distinctions, ‘表弟’ immediately conveys the exact nature of the relationship.