兄弟 · Brother
Brother in Chinese: 哥哥 vs 弟弟
Mandarin splits “brother” by age. 哥哥 (gē ge) is an older brother; 弟弟 (dì di) is a younger brother. The same logic gives you 哥哥/弟弟 for siblings, 堂哥/堂弟 for cousins, and 大伯子/小叔子 for in-laws.
The short answer
gē ge
older brother
Use for a brother older than you.
dì di
younger brother
Use for a brother younger than you.
Which one should you use?
Use for a brother older than you; also a friendly address for an older male friend or colleague.
Use for a brother younger than you. Using 哥哥 for a younger man is a small but noticeable mistake.
Brother and the words around him
The two brother words, the collective “siblings”, and the wives of each brother.
| Term | Pinyin | English | Who exactly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gē ge | older brother | a brother older than you | Using 哥哥 for someone younger is a real, if small, misstep: the word is a claim about relative age. | |
| dì di | younger brother | a brother younger than you | ||
| xiōng dì jiě mèi | siblings | your brothers and sisters collectively | 兄弟 alone means “brothers”; 姐妹 alone means “sisters”. 兄弟 is also used loosely between male friends. | |
| sǎo zi | older brother's wife | your older brother's wife | ||
| dì xí | younger brother's wife | your younger brother's wife | Also 弟妹 dìmèi — which is also how you address a friend's younger sister. |
兄弟 (xiōngdì) means “brothers” collectively, and is also used between close male friends — a bit like “bro”.
In a sentence
我哥哥在上海工作，弟弟还在上大学。Wǒ gēge zài Shànghǎi gōngzuò, dìdi hái zài shàng dàxué.
My older brother works in Shanghai; my younger brother is still at university.
他是我弟弟，比我小四岁。Tā shì wǒ dìdi, bǐ wǒ xiǎo sì suì.
He is my younger brother, four years younger than me.
Common mistakes
- Using 哥哥 for a younger brother because he looks older. The term tracks your actual relative age.
- Assuming 兄弟 means one brother. It is collective, and it can also mean “brothers” in a friendly, non-family sense.
- Forgetting the age split in cousins and in-laws — 堂哥/堂弟 and 大伯子/小叔子 follow the same rule.
The cultural bit
What the word carries
The older/younger split is one of the most consistent features of Chinese kinship. It shapes how you address someone, who is expected to take the lead in family matters, and even how cousins are named. Once you know the rule, the vocabulary becomes predictable.
Questions
How do you say younger brother in Chinese?
弟弟 (dì di), with a neutral second syllable.
How do you say older brother in Chinese?
哥哥 (gē ge), first tone plus neutral tone.
Is 兄弟 ever used for friends?
Yes. Between close male friends it works like “bro” or “brothers”. Context makes the meaning clear.
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