Brother in Chinese
The Chinese word for brother is 兄弟 (xiōng dì). Used for real brothers and for close friends who are like brothers.
xiōng dì
Brother
What 兄弟 means.
兄 is an elder brother and 弟 a younger one, so 兄弟 covers brothers of any age. It is also used between close friends, much like “brothers” in English, which makes it popular for matching tattoos.
- 兄
- elder brother
- 弟
- younger brother
Simplified and traditional
兄弟
兄弟
兄弟 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese, so every Chinese reader recognises it.
About brother in Chinese
How do you write brother in Chinese?
Brother is 兄弟 in Chinese, pronounced xiōng dì. Brothers, brotherhood 兄 means “elder brother”, 弟 means “younger brother”.
How do you pronounce 兄弟?
Say xiōng (first tone, high and level), dì (fourth tone, falling). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 兄弟 different in traditional Chinese?
No. 兄弟 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese.
Is 兄弟 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.