The Chinese word **表姐 (biǎojiě)** is a compound term formed by combining two characters: **表 (biǎo)**, which in kinship terminology denotes a relationship through one's mother's side or an external branch of the family (i.e., not sharing the same paternal surname), and **姐 (jiě)**, which means "older sister." Together, they specifically refer to one's **older female cousin from the maternal side** (e.g., the daughter of one's mother's brother or sister). This structure is typical in Chinese, where a modifier (**表**) specifies the lineage, and a core noun (**姐**) defines the familial role and relative age.