兄弟
hiaⁿ-tī
The Hokkien word for brother is 兄弟 (hiaⁿ-tī).
兄弟 is used to refer to male siblings in general. In a colloquial context, it is also used to address close male friends, similar to how English speakers use 'bro' or 'brother'.
Meaning: male sibling (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 兄弟 (hiaⁿ-tī) literally translates to 'elder brother and younger brother', representing the concept of siblings in general.
Which one should you use?
While 兄弟 is a general term for brothers, the term 弟弟 is used specifically to refer to a younger brother.
How do you pronounce it?
hiaⁿ-tī
Did you know?
- While 兄弟 refers to brothers generally, it can also be used to refer to a group of men in a gang or a brotherhood, carrying a much more intense, loyalist connotation than the English 'brothers'.
- In some Hokkien dialects, the term for 'brother' can be used ironically to address someone you are arguing with, similar to saying 'listen here, pal' in English.
- Depending on the region, a person might call their older brother 大哥 to show respect, which also functions as a title for a boss or a leader of a group.
Examples in context
- 提姆是湯姆的雙生仔兄弟。Tim is Tom's twin brother.This sentence shows the use of 兄弟 to describe a twin brother.Tatoeba #13981593 by LeviHighway, translation #6121851 by Mandalay
- 伊有兩個兄弟。i ū nn̄g-ê hiaⁿ-tī.He has two brothers.
Example conversation
Xiaowen and Jiahao are talking about their families.
- 曉雯 Hiau-bun家豪，你有兄弟嗎？Ka-hâu, lí ū hiong-tī bô？Jiahao, do you have any brothers?
- 家豪 Ka-hao我有一個兄弟。Góa ū chi̍t ê hiong-tī.I have one brother.
- 曉雯 Hiau-bun他比你大還是小？I ê pí lí tōa í-sī sió？Is he older or younger than you?
- 家豪 Ka-hao他是我弟弟。I sī góa ê dì-dì.He is my younger brother.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
