兄弟 xiōngdì brothers
brothers; younger brother; I, me (humble term used by men in public speech); brotherly; fraternal
How to remember 兄弟: 兄 older brother + 弟 younger brother = brothers.
Characters
How it is used
- Literally "older brother and younger brother", used generally for "brothers" - 我们是兄弟 (wǒmen shì xiōngdì) we're brothers.
- Casually extended to close male friends, like English "bro" - 兄弟，帮个忙 (xiōngdì, bāng ge máng) bro, help me out - common among men in informal speech.
- As a humble self-reference in old-style public speech, a man might call himself 兄弟 ("your brother here") - this usage is dated/formal and rare for learners to need actively.
Example sentences
- 我有兄弟。 Wǒ yǒu xiōngdì.I have brothers.
- 你有兄弟吗？ Nǐ yǒu xiōngdì ma?Do you have any brothers?
- 他们是兄弟吗？ Tāmen shì xiōngdì ma?Are they brothers?