哥哥
gēge/kɤ⁵⁵ g̊ə²/
The Chinese phrase for "elder brother" is 哥哥 (gēge).
哥哥 is a term for elder brother that is slightly less formal than 大哥 but still respectful. 老哥 is an informal term to address someone older or of higher status who you are close to.
Which one should you use?
While 哥哥 refers to an elder brother, 弟弟 is the term used for a younger brother.
How does it change in a sentence?
哥哥 is a reduplicated noun, where the second syllable is often pronounced with a neutral tone.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is gēge. The IPA is /kɤ⁵⁵ g̊ə²/.
Did you know?
- You might hear the term 干哥哥 to describe a 'dry elder brother', which is a brother by choice or a god-brother rather than by birth.
- In older literature and period dramas, a woman might call her husband 哥哥 as an intimate and affectionate nickname.
- If you are a girl, you might use the term 哥哥 to refer to a boy you admire, which can sometimes carry a flirtatious nuance in modern pop songs or romantic dramas.
Examples in context
- Tom是我哥哥。Tom is my elder brother.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as your 哥哥.Tatoeba #8591295 by easononizuka, translation #2319875 by Gulo_Luscus
- 你似乎把我当成我哥哥了。You seem to have mistaken me for my elder brother.This sentence is useful for showing how someone might mistake you for your 哥哥.Tatoeba #2017439 by sadhen, translation #69298 by Dejo
- 他是我的哥哥。他比我大兩歲。He is my elder brother. He is two years older than I.This sentence is useful for describing your relationship and age difference regarding your 哥哥.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Xiaowen asks Junjie about a man in a photo.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这张照片上的男人是你哥哥吗？Zhè zhāng zhàopiàn shàng de nánrén shì nǐ gēge ma?Is the man in this photo your elder brother?
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，他现在在国外工作。Shì de, tā xiànzài zài guówài gōngzuò.Yes, he is working abroad right now.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你的哥哥看起来很帅。Nǐ de gēge kàn qǐlái hěn shuài.Your elder brother looks very handsome.
- 俊杰 Junjie谢谢你的夸奖，晓雯。Xièxie nǐ de kuājuǎng, Xiǎowén.Thank you for the compliment, Xiaowen.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 哥哥, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
