xiōng

elder brother

equation: mouth (口) + person (儿) = the one who speaks for the family

The elder brother is the one who speaks up — the mouth above a person suggests authority and voice within the family. He is the child who has earned the right to lead.

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PersonSemantic
MouthSemantic

他们弟两人感情很好。

tā men xiōng dì liǎng rén gǎn qíng hěn hǎo。

the two of them, brothers, have a very close relationship.

这对弟从小就一起长大。

zhè duì xiōng dì cóng xiǎo jiù yī qǐ zhǎng dà。

these two brothers grew up together from a young age.

Words with 兄

长兄

zhǎng xiōng

eldest brother

阿兄

ā xiōng

elder brother

双生兄弟

shuāng shēng xiōng dì

twin brothers

难兄难弟

nán xiōng nán dì

lit. hard to differentiate between elder and younger brother (idiom)

难兄难弟

nàn xiōng nàn dì

brothers in hardship (idiom)

雷曼兄弟

léi màn xiōng dì

Lehman Brothers, investment bank

仁兄

rén xiōng

(honorific written address) My dear friend

令兄

lìng xiōng

Your esteemed older brother (honorific)

兄妹

xiōng mèi

brother(s) and sister(s)

兄嫂

xiōng sǎo

elder brother and his wife

兄弟

xiōng dì

brothers

兄弟姐妹

xiōng dì jiě mèi

brothers and sisters

More characters with 口