哥哥
gēge/kɤ⁵⁵ g̊ə²/
gege is the Chinese term for older brother.
While it literally means older brother, 哥哥 is frequently used as a term of endearment or to address a slightly older male acquaintance in a friendly or flirtatious manner.
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English 'brother', which is often used as a title or a way to refer to a sibling in general, 哥哥 specifically denotes an older brother or an older male.
How does it change in a sentence?
The first syllable is pronounced with a high level tone, while the second syllable is pronounced with a neutral tone.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is gēge. The IPA is /kɤ⁵⁵ g̊ə²/.
When do people say it?
In many Chinese social contexts, children use this term to address older boys or men who are not their biological siblings to show politeness and closeness.
Did you know?
- In some romantic contexts, a woman may call her boyfriend gege even if he is younger than her. In this case, the term represents a role of protection and care rather than a biological age difference.
- The reduplication of a syllable, like in 哥哥, is a common way in Mandarin to create 'child-directed speech' or terms of endearment. This pattern makes the word sound softer and more affectionate than the single-syllable version 哥.
- In certain online subcultures, particularly among fans of romantic fiction, the term 哥哥 can be used to refer to a male celebrity or a fictional character as a way of expressing intense admiration or devotion.
Examples in context
- 请问，你是我哥哥吗？(Qǐngwèn, nǐ shì wǒ gēgē ma?)Excuse me, are you my older brother?
- 我的哥哥是一位律师。(Wǒ de gēgē shì yí wèi lǜshī.)My older brother is a lawyer.
- 嘿，哥！你想一起来看电影吗？(Hēi, gē! Nǐ xiǎng yīqǐ lái kàn diànyǐng ma?)Hey, bro! Do you want to come watch a movie together?
- 老哥，我需要你的帮助。(Lǎogē, wǒ xūyào nǐ de bāngzhù.)Bro, I need your help.
- 哥哥，你的生日聚会什么时候举行？(Gēgē, nǐ de shēngrì jùhuì shénme shíhou jǔxíng?)Brother, when is your birthday party going to be held?
- 哥，你觉得这个决定怎么样？(Gē, nǐ juéde zhège juédìng zěnmeyàng?)Bro, what do you think about this decision?
- 我有一个哥哥。Wǒ yǒu yī gè gēge.I have an older brother.
- 哥哥在学校里。Gēge zài xuéxiào lǐ.Older brother is at school.
Example conversation
Zihan is talking to her brother Haoran about a book.
- 浩然 Haoran你在看什么书？nǐ zài kàn shénme shū?What book are you reading?
- 梓涵 Zihan我在看历史书。wǒ zài kàn lìshǐ shū.I am reading a history book.
- 浩然 Haoran哥哥，能借给我看看吗？gēge, néng jiè gěi wǒ kànkan ma?Older brother, can you lend it to me?
- 梓涵 Zihan没问题，给你。méi wèntí, gěi nǐ.No problem, here you go.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 哥哥, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
