Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 兄弟 | hing¹ dai⁶ |
| 哥哥 | elder |
| 弟弟 | younger |
| 大佬 | daai⁶ lou² |
| 細佬 / 细佬 | sai³ lou² |
| 阿哥 | aa³ go¹ |
While 兄弟 can mean brothers in a general sense, it is often used to refer to close male friends or 'bros' in a non-biological, fraternal sense. Specific terms are used depending on whether the brother is older or younger.
Which one should you use?
哥哥 refers specifically to an elder brother, whereas 弟弟 refers specifically to a younger brother. In contrast, 兄弟 acts as a general term for brothers or a way to refer to male siblings collectively. The term 阿哥 is a common way to say elder brother in spoken Cantonese, while 哥哥 is a more formal or standard way to express the same relationship.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
哥哥 is a more formal or standard term for an elder brother. For more informal or colloquial contexts, you might use 阿哥 for an elder brother, 大佬 to refer to an older brother or a leader or 細佬 / 细佬 to refer to a younger brother or a younger male.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong, 大佬 is often used affectionately to refer to an older brother or someone who holds a respected position.
How does it change in a sentence?
In spoken Cantonese, the prefix 阿 is frequently added to 哥 to form the common term 阿哥 for an elder brother.
How do you pronounce it?
hing¹ dai⁶
When do people say it?
大佬 is used colloquially to refer to an elder brother, but it can also mean a 'big shot' or a leader in a social group or gang.
Did you know?
- The term 大佬 is used not only for biological brothers or leaders but also as a common slang term to address a stranger when asking for a favor or help in a street setting.
- While 兄弟 means 'brothers', in the context of Triad societies and gangs, it represents a blood oath of loyalty that transcends biological family.
- In traditional Cantonese culture, the responsibility of the 哥哥 often extended to acting as a second father to the 細佬, including overseeing their education and behavior.
Examples in context
- 我阿哥好有錢。My brother is rich.This sentence shows how to use 阿哥 to describe someone's wealth.Tatoeba #1762937 by nickyeow, translation #1388691 by Spamster
- Tom係我哥哥。Tom is my older brother.This sentence uses 哥哥 to identify someone as an older brother.Tatoeba #4826842 by kaenif, translation #1495832 by CK
- 佢阿哥坐巴士返學。His brother goes to school by bus.This sentence uses 阿哥 to describe how a brother travels to school.Tatoeba #1585867 by nickyeow, translation #285913 by CK
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ka Ming and Mei Ling are talking about their family backgrounds.
- 家明 Ka Ming你有冇兄弟？nei5 jau5 mou5 hing1 dai6?Do you have any brothers?
- 美玲 Mei Ling我冇兄弟，得一個姐姐。ngo5 mou5 hing1 dai6, dak1 jat1 go3 ze2 ze2.I don't have any brothers, only one older sister.
- 家明 Ka Ming我有兩個兄弟。ngo5 jau5 loeng2 go3 hing1 dai6.I have two brothers.
- 美玲 Mei Ling咁就正喇！gam2 zau6 zing3 laa3!That's great then!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
