兄弟

Chinese

		elder brother	younger brother
simp. and trad. (兄弟)		兄	弟
anagram		弟兄

Etymology

Dvandva of 兄 (xiōng, “older brother”) + 弟 (dì, “younger brother”)

Pronunciation 1

Rime
Character	兄	弟	弟
Reading #	1/1	1/2	2/2
Initial (聲)	曉 (32)	定 (7)	定 (7)
Final (韻)	庚 (112)	齊 (39)	齊 (39)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Rising (X)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Closed	Open	Open
Division (等)	III	IV	IV
Fanqie	許榮切	徒禮切	特計切
Baxter	xjwaeng	dejX	dejH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/hˠwiæŋ/	/deiX/	/deiH/
Pan Wuyun	/hʷᵚiaŋ/	/deiX/	/deiH/
Shao Rongfen	/xiuaŋ/	/dɛiX/	/dɛiH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/hwiajŋ/	/dɛjX/	/dɛjH/
Li Rong	/xiuɐŋ/	/deiX/	/deiH/
Wang Li	/xĭwɐŋ/	/dieiX/	/dieiH/
Bernard Karlgren	/xi̯wɐŋ/	/dʱieiX/	/dʱieiH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xiōng	dì	dì
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hing1	dai6	dai6

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	兄	弟
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xiōng	dì
Middle Chinese	‹ xjwæng ›	‹ dejX ›
Old Chinese	/*m̥raŋ/	/*lˁəjʔ/
English	elder brother	younger brother
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	兄	弟	弟
Reading #	1/1	1/2	2/2
No.	13905	2294	2297
Phonetic component	兄	弟	弟
Rime group	陽	脂	脂
Rime subdivision	0	1	1
Corresponding MC rime	兄	弟	第
Old Chinese	/*hmraŋ/	/*diːlʔ/	/*diːls/
Notes	甲金文象張口呵喝之人， 金文有往聲者。疑初與孟同源	甲金文象繩束弋（朱芳圃說），繞弋繩須次第不亂方利於射， 爲第初文

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): xiōngdì

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄩㄥ ㄉㄧˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xiong¹ di⁴

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): щүнди (xündi, I-I)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hing¹ dai⁶
• Gan (Wiktionary): 'xiang¹ ti⁵ / 'xiung¹ ti⁵
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): hiûng-thi

  (Hailu, HRS): hiung^ˋ ti^˖

  (Meixian, Guangdong): hiung¹ ti⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): xyng¹ di³
• Northern Min (KCR): hiáng-dī
• Eastern Min (BUC): hiăng-diê
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): hiaⁿ-tī / hiaⁿ-tǐ / heng-tē / heng-tě

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hian¹ di⁶

• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ¹shion-di₆
• Xiang

  (Changsha, Wiktionary): xiong¹ di⁵

  (Hengyang, Wiktionary): xin¹ di

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiōngdì
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄩㄥ ㄉㄧˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: syongdì
    • Wade–Giles: hsiung¹-ti⁴
    • Yale: syūng-dì
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiongdih
    • Palladius: сюнди (sjundi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ʊŋ⁵⁵ ti⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: xiong¹ di⁴
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xyngdi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕyoŋ⁵⁵ ti²¹³/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: щүнди (xündi, I-I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕyŋ²⁴ ti²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: hing¹ dai⁶
    • Yale: hīng daih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hing¹ dai⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: hing¹ dei⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɪŋ⁵⁵ tɐi̯²²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: 'xiang¹ ti⁵ / 'xiung¹ ti⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˈɕiaŋ⁴² tʰi¹¹/, /ˈɕiuŋ⁴² tʰi¹¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: hiûng-thi
    • Hakka Romanization System: hiung^ˊ ti
    • Hagfa Pinyim: hiung¹ ti⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /hi̯uŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰi⁵⁵/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: hiung^ˋ ti^˖
    • Sinological IPA: /hiuŋ⁵³ tʰi³³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: hiung¹ ti⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /hiʊŋ⁴⁴⁻³⁵ tʰi⁵³/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: xyng¹ di³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕỹŋ¹¹ ti⁴⁵/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: hiáng-dī
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xiaŋ⁵⁴ ti⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: hiăng-diê
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hiaŋ⁵⁵⁻⁵³ ^(t-)niɛ²⁴²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Taipei, Tainan, Sanxia, Yilan, Kinmen, Magong, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiaⁿ-tī
    • Tâi-lô: hiann-tī
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hvia'di
    • IPA (Kaohsiung, Taipei, Tainan, Yilan): /hiã⁴⁴⁻³³ ti³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kinmen, Singapore): /hiã⁴⁴⁻²² ti²²/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiaⁿ-tǐ
    • Tâi-lô: hiann-tǐ
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hiã³³ ti²²/
    • IPA (Lukang): /hiã³³ ti³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: heng-tē
    • Tâi-lô: hing-tē
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hengde
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /hiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ te³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /hiɪŋ⁴⁴⁻²² te²²/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: heng-tě
    • Tâi-lô: hing-tě
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hiɪŋ³³ te²²/

Note:

• hiaⁿ-tī/hiaⁿ-tǐ - vernacular;
• heng-tē/heng-tě - literary.

• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: hian¹ di⁶
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hiaⁿ tĭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hĩã³³⁻²³ ti³⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ¹shion-di₆
    • MiniDict: shion^平 di^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹xion-di₃
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɕioŋ⁵⁵ di²¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ɕioŋ⁴⁴ di/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: xiong¹ di⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ɕi̯ʊŋ³³ ti²¹⁻¹¹/
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /ɕin³³ ti²¹⁻¹¹/
  • (Hengyang)
    • Wiktionary: xin¹ di
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕin⁴⁴⁵ ti³/

---

• Middle Chinese: xjwaeng dejX|dejH

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*m̥raŋ  lˤəjʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*hmraŋ  diːlʔ|diːls/

Noun

兄弟

1. (literal) brother
2. (literal) brethren; brothers and sisters; siblings
3. (figurative) brothers; close friends; good friends (Classifier: 位 m)
4. (neologism, fandom slang, chiefly masculine) term to address fellow/peer-netizens on social media platforms
5. gangster
6. (Cantonese) groomsman

Synonyms

• (brother):

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		兄弟, 手足, 昆仲, 昆季
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		兄弟
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	哥兒, 弟兄
	Taiwan	兄弟
	Malaysia	兄弟
	Singapore	兄弟
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	弟兄, 弟兄們, 兄弟
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	弟兄
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	弟兄
	Wuhan	弟兄, 兄弟
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	弟兄
	Hefei	弟兄, 兄弟
Cantonese	Guangzhou	兄弟
	Hong Kong	兄弟
	Taishan	兄弟
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	兄弟
	Singapore (Guangfu)	兄弟
Gan	Nanchang	兄弟
Hakka	Meixian	兄弟
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	兄弟
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	兄弟
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	兄弟
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	兄弟
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	兄弟
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	兄弟
Jin	Taiyuan	弟兄, 兄弟
Northern Min	Jian'ou	兄弟
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	兄弟, 兄弟哥
	Matsu	兄弟哥
Southern Min	Xiamen	兄弟
	Quanzhou	兄弟
	Jinjiang	兄弟哥
	Zhangzhou	兄弟
	Taipei	兄弟
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	兄弟
	Kaohsiung	兄弟
	Yilan	兄弟
	Changhua (Lukang)	兄弟
	Taichung	兄弟仔
	Tainan	兄弟
	Hsinchu	兄弟仔
	Kinmen	兄弟
	Penghu (Magong)	兄弟
	Penang (Hokkien)	兄弟
	Singapore (Hokkien)	兄弟
	Manila (Hokkien)	兄弟, 兄弟仔
	Chaozhou	兄弟
	Shantou	兄弟
	Haifeng	兄弟
	Singapore (Teochew)	兄弟
	Wenchang	兄弟
	Singapore (Hainanese)	兄弟
Wu	Suzhou	弟兄
	Wenzhou	兄弟
Xiang	Changsha	弟兄, 兄弟
	Shuangfeng	弟兄, 兄弟
	Hengyang	兄弟

Dialectal synonyms of 兄弟 (“brothers”) [map]

• (groomsman): 伴郎 (bànláng)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “brother”): 姐妹 (jiěmèi)

Derived terms

• 三從兄弟／三从兄弟
• 兄弟兄弟，各人顧家己／兄弟兄弟，各人顾家己
• 兄弟共妻
• 兄弟刀槍刣，血予外人踏／兄弟刀枪刣，血予外人踏
• 兄弟如手足，妻子如衣服 (xiōngdì rú shǒuzú, qīzǐ rú yīfu)
• 兄弟如手足，毋免佮人約／兄弟如手足，毋免佮人约
• 兄弟姐妹 (xiōngdì jiěmèi)
• 兄弟姊妹 (xiōngdì zǐmèi)
• 兄弟市 (xiōngdìshì)
• 兄弟怡怡
• 兄弟是兄弟，過江照算錢／兄弟是兄弟，过江照算钱
• 兄弟會／兄弟会 (xiōngdìhuì)
• 兄弟若共心，烏塗變成金／兄弟若共心，乌涂变成金
• 兄弟鬩牆／兄弟阋墙 (xiōngdìxìqiáng)
• 內兄弟／内兄弟
• 同堂兄弟
• 同胞兄弟 (tóngbāo xiōngdì)
• 四海之內皆兄弟／四海之内皆兄弟 (sìhǎi zhī nèi jiē xiōngdì)
• 四海之内皆兄弟 (sìhǎi zhī nèi jiē xiōngdì)
• 四海皆兄弟
• 堂兄弟 (tángxiōngdì)
• 外兄弟
• 大兄弟
• 夫兄弟
• 如兄弟
• 好兄弟 (hǎoxiōngdì)
• 姻兄弟
• 嫡親兄弟／嫡亲兄弟
• 孿生兄弟／孪生兄弟 (luánshēng xiōngdì)
• 小兄弟
• 師兄弟／师兄弟
• 平原兄弟
• 庶兄弟
• 從兄弟／从兄弟 (cóngxiōngdì)
• 從兄弟門中／从兄弟门中
• 房分兄弟
• 打虎還得親兄弟／打虎还得亲兄弟
• 把兄弟 (bǎxiōngdì)
• 拜把兄弟
• 換帖兄弟／换帖兄弟
• 族兄弟
• 熱兄弟／热兄弟
• 異母兄弟／异母兄弟 (yìmǔ xiōngdì)
• 盟兄弟 (méngxiōngdì)
• 私兄弟
• 結拜兄弟／结拜兄弟 (jiébài xiōngdì)
• 義兄弟／义兄弟 (yìxiōngdì)
• 老兄弟
• 胞兄弟 (bāoxiōngdì)
• 腰鼓兄弟
• 至親兄弟／至亲兄弟
• 萊特兄弟／莱特兄弟
• 表兄弟 (biǎoxiōngdì)
• 親兄弟，明算帳／亲兄弟，明算帐 (qīn xiōngdì, míng suànzhàng)
• 謝家兄弟／谢家兄弟
• 譜兄弟／谱兄弟
• 遠兄弟／远兄弟
• 酒肉兄弟
• 陳摶的兄弟／陈抟的兄弟
• 靴兄弟
• 香火兄弟

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (兄弟):

• → Japanese: 兄(きょう)弟(だい) (kyōdai); 兄(けい)弟(てい) (keitei)
• → Okinawan: 兄(ちょー)弟(でー) (chōdē)
• → Korean: 형제(兄弟) (hyeongje)
• → Jeju: 성제 (seongje)
• → Vietnamese: huynh đệ (兄弟)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): xiōngdi

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄩㄥ ˙ㄉㄧ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): щүнди (xündi, I-I)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hing¹ dai⁶
• Gan (Wiktionary): 'xiang¹ ti⁵
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): hiûng-thi
• Jin (Wiktionary): xyng¹ di³
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): hiaⁿ-tī / hiaⁿ-tǐ
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹shion-di

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiōngdi
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄩㄥ ˙ㄉㄧ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: syongdi̊
    • Wade–Giles: hsiung¹-ti⁵
    • Yale: syūng-di
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiong.di
    • Palladius: сюнди (sjundi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ʊŋ⁵⁵ d̥i²/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: щүнди (xündi, I-I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕyŋ²⁴ ti²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: hing¹ dai⁶
    • Yale: hīng daih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hing¹ dai⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: hing¹ dei⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɪŋ⁵⁵ tɐi̯²²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: 'xiang¹ ti⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˈɕiaŋ⁴² tʰi¹¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: hiûng-thi
    • Hakka Romanization System: hiung^ˊ ti
    • Hagfa Pinyim: hiung¹ ti⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /hi̯uŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰi⁵⁵/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: xyng¹ di³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕỹŋ¹¹ ti⁴⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Taipei, Tainan, Sanxia, Yilan, Kinmen, Magong)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiaⁿ-tī
    • Tâi-lô: hiann-tī
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hvia'di
    • IPA (Kaohsiung, Taipei, Tainan, Yilan): /hiã⁴⁴⁻³³ ti³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kinmen): /hiã⁴⁴⁻²² ti²²/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiaⁿ-tǐ
    • Tâi-lô: hiann-tǐ
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hiã³³ ti²²/
    • IPA (Lukang): /hiã³³ ti³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹shion-di
    • MiniDict: shion^平 di
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹xion-di
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɕioŋ⁵⁵ di²¹/

Noun

兄弟

1. (Mandarin, Gan, Jin, dialectal Wu, colloquial) younger brother
2. (colloquial) my brother; bro (A term of address for a close friend of similar age or younger)

   兄弟，我今天請客。 [MSC, trad.]
   兄弟，我今天请客。 [MSC, simp.]

   Xiōngdì, wǒ jīntiān qǐngkè. [Pinyin]

   My brother, it's my treat today.

   兄弟，我今仔日請人。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
   兄弟，我今仔日请人。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

   Hiaⁿ-tī, góa kin-á-ji̍t chhiáⁿ-lâng. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   My brother, it's my treat today.

Synonyms

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		弟
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		弟弟
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	兄弟, 弟弟
	Taiwan	弟弟
	Harbin	兄弟, 弟弟
	Malaysia	弟弟
	Singapore	弟弟
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	兄弟, 弟弟
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	兄兒, 兄弟
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	兄弟
	Wanrong	兄弟 male speaker, 弟子 female speaker
	Xi'an	兄弟
	Xining	兄弟, 弟弟
	Xuzhou	弟弟, 兄弟
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	兄弟
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	兄弟
	Ürümqi	弟弟, 兄弟, 富康子
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	弟娃兒, 兄弟, 弟弟
	Wuhan	弟弟, 兄弟
	Guiyang	弟, 兄弟, 弟弟 childish
	Liuzhou	弟, 阿弟, 老弟
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	弟弟, 兄弟
	Yangzhou	兄弟, 弟弟
	Nantong	弟子
	Hefei	兄弟, 弟弟
Cantonese	Guangzhou	細佬, 弟弟
	Hong Kong	細佬, 弟弟
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	細佬
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	細佬
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	細佬
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	阿弟
	Macau	細佬
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	細佬
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	細佬
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	細佬
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	細佬
	Foshan	細佬
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	細佬
	Foshan (Shunde)	細佬
	Foshan (Sanshui)	細佬
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	細佬
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	細佬
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	細佬
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	細佬
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	細佬
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	細佬
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	細佬
	Taishan	細佬, 阿弟, 細, 弟
	Kaiping (Chikan)	阿弟, 細佬
	Enping (Niujiang)	阿弟
	Heshan (Yayao)	細佬
	Dongguan	細佬, 弟弟
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	細佬
	Shaoguan	細佬
	Yangjiang	小弟
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	細佬
	Singapore (Guangfu)	細佬
Gan	Nanchang	老弟, 兄弟
	Lichuan	弟
	Pingxiang	老弟
Hakka	Meixian	老弟, 老弟仔
	Xingning	老弟, 老弟里
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	老弟
	Huiyang	老弟
	Huidong (Daling)	老弟
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	老弟
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	老弟
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	老弟
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	老弟
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	老弟
	Wuhua (Changbu)	老弟
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	老弟
	Wuhua (Meilin)	老弟
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	老弟
	Wengyuan	老弟
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	老弟
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	老弟
	Liannan	老弟
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	弟弟
	Jiexi	老弟
	Luhe	老弟
	Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan)	阿弟
	Changting	老弟
	Wuping	老弟
	Wuping (Yanqian)	老弟子
	Wuping (Pingyu)	老弟子
	Liancheng	老弟
	Ninghua	老弟
	Yudu	老弟
	Ningdu	老弟
	Ruijin	老弟
	Shicheng	老弟
	Shangyou (Shexi)	老弟
	Tonggu (Sandu)	老弟
	Ganzhou (Panlong)	老弟
	Dayu	弟佬
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	老弟
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	老弟
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	老弟
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	老弟
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	老弟
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	阿弟
	Hong Kong	老弟
	Yangxi (Tangkou)	老弟
	Yangchun (Sanjia)	細佬
	Xinyi (Sihe)	老弟, 細佬
	Xinyi (Qianpai)	老弟, 細佬
	Gaozhou (Xindong)	老弟
	Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai)	老弟
	Huazhou (Xin'an)	老弟
	Lianjiang (Shijiao)	老弟
	Lianjiang (Qingping)	阿弟, 老弟
	Mengshan (Xihe)	老弟
	Luchuan	老弟
	Sabah (Bao'an)	老弟
	Sabah (Longchuan)	老弟
	Senai (Huiyang)	老弟
	Sungai Tapang, Batu Kawa (Hepo)	老弟
	Singkawang	阿弟, 老弟
Huizhou	Jixi	弟
Jin	Taiyuan	兄弟, 弟弟
	Xinzhou	兄弟
Northern Min	Jian'ou	弟仔
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	依弟 face-to-face, 弟
Southern Min	Xiamen	小弟, 阿弟 face-to-face
	Quanzhou	小弟, 阿弟 face-to-face
	Zhangzhou	小弟, 阿弟 face-to-face
	Zhao'an	細弟仔, 細弟
	Kaohsiung	小弟
	Yilan	小弟
	Changhua (Lukang)	小弟
	Taichung	小弟
	Taichung (Wuqi)	小弟
	Tainan	小弟
	Taitung	小弟
	Hsinchu	小弟
	Penghu (Magong)	小弟
	Penang (Hokkien)	小弟, 阿棣
	Singapore (Hokkien)	小弟, 阿弟 face-to-face
	Manila (Hokkien)	小弟
	Chaozhou	阿弟
	Shantou	阿弟
	Jieyang	阿弟
	Haifeng	阿弟, 弟, 弟弟
	Bangkok (Teochew)	阿弟
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	阿弟
	Singapore (Teochew)	阿弟
	Leizhou	老弟
	Haikou	老弟 non-face-to-face, 阿弟 face-to-face
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	細佬, 弟弟
	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	細佬
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	老弟
Wu	Shanghai	弟弟, 阿弟, 兄弟
	Shanghai (Chongming)	兄弟
	Suzhou	兄弟, 弟弟
	Danyang	弟子
	Hangzhou	阿弟, 弟弟
	Ningbo	阿弟, 弟弟 face-to-face
	Wenzhou	阿弟
	Jinhua	弟
Xiang	Changsha	老弟, 弟弟
	Loudi	老弟
	Shuangfeng	老弟, 弟弟
	Hengyang	老弟

Dialectal synonyms of 弟弟 (“younger brother”) [map]

Pronoun

兄弟

1. A humble term of self-address used by a man to people of the same generation.

Japanese

Kanji in this term
兄	弟
けい Grade: 2	てい Grade: 2
kan'on

Kanji in this term
兄	弟
きょう Grade: 2	だい Grade: 2
goon

 兄弟 on Japanese Wikipedia

Alternative forms

• (siblings, sisters): 姉妹(きょうだい)
• (siblings, an elder brother and a younger sister): 兄妹(きょうだい)
• (siblings, an elder sister and a younger brother): 姉弟(きょうだい)
• (siblings, not gender-specific): きょうだい

Etymology

From 兄 (kyō, “elder brother”, Go-on) +‎ 弟 (dai, “younger brother”, Go-on), from Middle Chinese 兄弟.

Alternatively, from 兄 (kei, “elder brother”) (Kan-on) +‎ 弟 (tei, “younger brother”) (Kan-on), from Chinese 兄弟. Compare 兄妹 (keimai, “elder brother and younger sister”), 姉弟 (shitei, “elder sister and younger brother”), and 姉妹 (shimai, “elder and younger sisters”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) きょーだい [kyóꜜòdàì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [kʲo̞ːda̠i]

• (Tokyo) けーてー [kèétéé] (Heiban – [0])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [ke̞ːte̞ː]

Noun

兄(きょう)弟(だい) • (kyōdai) ^{←きやうだい (kyaudai)?} (alternative reading hiragana けいてい, rōmaji keitei)

1. brothers

   だんご三(さん)兄(きょう)弟(だい)

   dango san kyōdai

   Dango three brothers

2. (by extension) siblings in general

   男(おとこ)兄(きょう)弟(だい)

   otoko kyōdai

   brothers

   女(おんな)兄(きょう)弟(だい)

   onna kyōdai

   sisters

3. (by extension) brothers and sisters; brethren (brotherhood; fellowship)

Usage notes

• Note that the alternative forms listed above are used to be specific to the kinds of siblings.
• For the general "siblings" sense, hiragana may be used instead of kanji.
• The alternative spellings are only utilised for the siblings sense and may only be used with the pronunciation kyōdai

Hypernyms

• (brothers): 同胞(どうほう) (dōhō, “sibling”)

Coordinate terms

• (brothers):
  • 姉(し)妹(まい) (shimai, “sisters”)
  • 兄(けい)妹(まい) (keimai, “elder brother and younger sister”)
  • 姉(し)弟(てい) (shitei, “elder sister and younger brother”)
  • 兄(けい)姉(し) (keishi, “elder siblings”)
  • 弟(てい)妹(まい) (teimai, “younger siblings”)

See also

• 従兄弟(いとこ) (itoko)
• 乳(ち)兄(きょう)弟(だい) (chikyōdai, “foster brothers”)
• 兄(あに)弟(で)子(し) (anideshi)
• 四(し)海(かい)兄(けい)弟(てい) (shikai keitei)

References

1. NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

Korean

Hanja in this term
兄	弟

Noun

兄弟 • (hyeongje) (hangeul 형제)

1. hanja form^? of 형제 (“brother, brothers, sibling”)

Kunigami

Kanji in this term
兄	弟
ちょー Grade: 2	れー Grade: 2

Etymology

Cognate to Japanese 兄弟 (kyōdai).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ɕoːɾeː/

Noun

兄(ちょー)弟(れー) (chōrē) 

1. siblings; brothers and sisters

Okinawan

Kanji in this term
兄	弟
ちょー Grade: 2	でー Grade: 2

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 兄弟 (kyōdai).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ɕoːdeː/

Noun

兄(ちょー)弟(でー) (chōdē) 

1. siblings; brothers and sisters

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
兄	弟

Noun

兄弟

1. chữ Hán form of huynh đệ (“brothers”).