Definition

Noun: 1. Younger sister: A female sibling who is younger than the speaker or the person being referred to. This term indicates both the familial relationship and the relative age. 2. A term of endearment or polite address for a younger female: Can be used to address a younger woman in a friendly, affectionate, or respectful manner, not necessarily indicating a blood relation.

Usage Examples

• Referring to a biological younger sister:
  • Em gái tôi năm nay học lớp 10. (My younger sister is in 10th grade this year.)
  • Anh ấy có hai em gái. (He has two younger sisters.)
• As a polite/affectionate term for a younger woman:
  • Chào em gái, em cần giúp gì không? (Hello there (young lady), do you need any help?)
  • Cô ấy như một em gái của tôi vậy. (She is like a younger sister to me.)

Advanced Usage

• "Em gái út": The youngest sister in the family.
  • Cô ấy là em gái út nên được cả nhà cưng chiều. (She is the youngest sister, so she is doted on by the whole family.)
• "Em gái họ": A younger female cousin (on either parent's side).
  • Tôi đi chơi với em gái họ vào cuối tuần. (I am going out with my younger female cousin this weekend.)

Variants and Related Words

• Em: A more general term for a younger sibling or a polite term for someone younger. "Em gái" specifies the gender.
• Chị gái (noun): Older sister.
• Em trai (noun): Younger brother.
• Em út (noun): The youngest sibling (gender-neutral or specified by context).

Synonyms

• Cô em gái: A slightly more formal or descriptive way to say "younger sister."
• Em: In context, this can imply "younger sister" but is ambiguous without clarification.

Important Notes on Usage

• Cultural Context: In Vietnamese, terms like "em gái" are deeply embedded in the kinship system and are frequently used in social interactions to denote age hierarchy and closeness, extending beyond the immediate family.
• Pronouns: Vietnamese often uses kinship terms like "em gái" in place of personal pronouns (I, you, she). For example, when speaking to your younger sister, you might call her "em" or "em gái," and she would call you "anh" (older brother) or "chị" (older sister).
• No direct phrasal verbs or idioms exist specifically for the noun "em gái" itself, as it is a concrete kinship term.

noun

1. younger sister