哥们
gēmen
In Chinese, the phrase 'homie' is expressed as 哥们 (gēmen).
哥们 is an informal, colloquial way to refer to a male friend or a buddy. It is primarily used between male friends and is rarely used by or toward women.
Meaning: a friend, somebody one often hangs out with (noun)
Which one should you use?
You may also encounter 哥们儿 to mean 'bro' or the slang term 老铁 to mean 'pal'. Additionally, 兄弟 can be used among male friends in some regions of China to mean 'brother'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
哥们 is an informal term. The variation 哥们儿 is also an informal way to say 'bro', and 老铁 is considered slang.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern China, particularly Beijing, an 'er' sound is often added to the end of the word, resulting in 哥们儿. In some regions of China, the term 兄弟 is used among male friends to mean 'brother'.
How do you pronounce it?
gēmen
Did you know?
- While 哥们 is a close friend, the slang term 老铁 (lǎotiě) literally translates to 'old iron', implying a bond that is as unbreakable and sturdy as metal.
- The word 哥 (gē) in 哥们 literally means 'older brother', showing how Chinese person-to-person relationships often rely on familial hierarchies even in casual slang.
- In some social contexts, 哥们 can be used to address a male stranger in a friendly way to build instant rapport, similar to how 'mate' is used in British English.
Examples in context
- 嗨，哥们儿，你好吗？Hey, bro, how are you?
- 这是我的老铁，我们认识很久了。This is my pal, we've known each other for a long time.
- 他是我好哥们。Tā shì wǒ hǎo gēmen.He is my good homie.
- 我跟那哥们经常一起玩。Wǒ gēn nà gēmen jīngcháng yīqǐ wán.I often hang out with that homie.
- 别担心，他是我的哥们。Bié dānxīn, tā shì wǒ de gēmen.Don't worry, he is my homie.
Example conversation
Xiaowen asks Junjie about a guy she saw him with.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen刚才那个人是谁？Gāngcái nàge rén shì shéi?Who was that person just now?
- 俊杰 Junjie他是我哥们。Tā shì wǒ gēmen.He is my homie.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你们认识很久了吗？Nǐmen rènshi hěn jiǔ le ma?Have you guys known each other a long time?
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，我们是好哥们。Shì de, wǒmen shì hǎo gēmen.Yes, we are good homies.
