哥哥
gēge/kɤ⁵⁵ g̊ə²/
In Chinese, the English phrase "big brother" is translated as 哥哥 (gēge).
哥哥 refers to a male sibling who is older than the speaker. Beyond biological kinship, it is also frequently used as a term of address for a young man who is slightly older than the speaker, even if there is no family relation between them.
Which one should you use?
While the English term "big brother" can sometimes imply surveillance or authority, such as in Orwellian contexts, 哥哥 is primarily a kinship term and does not inherently carry those political or authoritative connotations.
How does it change in a sentence?
The reduplicated form 哥哥 is the standard way to refer to an older brother, whereas the single character 哥 can be used as a more casual or direct address.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is gēge. The IPA is /kɤ⁵⁵ g̊ə²/.
Did you know?
- In certain romantic contexts or online subcultures, calling a male partner 哥哥 can carry a playful, flirtatious, or even 'cute' undertone rather than just a familial one.
- In certain social circles or 'street' slang, calling someone 哥 can be a way to acknowledge their status or power within a group, regardless of actual age.
- The concept of 'big brother' in Chinese culture is often more deeply tied to the Confucian principle of 'elder sibling precedence' than the English term usually is.
Examples in context
- 湯姆是你的哥哥。Tom is your big brother.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a big brother using 哥哥.Tatoeba #5651318 by xjjAstrus, translation #7782255 by sharris123
- 你和你哥哥长得一模一样。You look just like your big brother.This sentence is useful for describing a resemblance to a big brother using 哥哥.Tatoeba #8850438 by morningstar, translation #16743 by Swift
- 昨天哥哥去福岛给当地居民帮忙了。我对放射量的增加很害怕。Yesterday my big brother went to Fukushima to help the locals. I'm very afraid of the rise in radiation levels.This sentence is useful for describing an action taken by a big brother using 哥哥.Tatoeba #4661378 by yuiyu, translation #4728089 by paper1n0
- 大哥，早上好！Good morning, big brother!
- 兄长，我需要你的帮助。Big brother, I need your help.
- 哥哥，我们一起去看电影吧！Big brother, let's go watch a movie together!
- 阿哥，我们一起出去玩吧！Big brother, let's go out and have fun!
- 阿哥，请问你知道最近有什么好玩的地方吗？Big brother, do you know any fun places to go recently?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are chatting about their family members.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你有哥哥吗？Nǐ yǒu gēge ma?Do you have an older brother?
- 雨婷 Yuting有的，我有一个哥哥。Yǒu de, wǒ yǒu yī gè gēge.Yes, I have a big brother.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你哥哥多大了？Nǐ gēge duō dà le?How old is your brother?
- 雨婷 Yuting他二十五岁了。Tā èrshíwǔ suì le.He is twenty-five years old.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 哥哥, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
