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亲兄弟 (qīn xiōng dì) — blood brother

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'blood brothers' (siblings by birth, or sometimes sworn brothers). Often pairs with 亲兄弟明算账 ('even brothers settle accounts clearly') to stress fairness even among close family.

noun
blood brother

Examples

  • 亲兄弟。
    Tā men shì qīn xiōng dì.
    They are blood brothers.
  • 亲兄弟。
    qīn xiōng dì Yě yào míng suàn zhàng.
    Even blood brothers need to settle accounts clearly.
  • 亲兄弟。
    Tā jiù xiàng wǒ de qīn xiōng dì yí yàng.
    He is like my blood brother.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

亲qīnclose or blood
兄弟brothers
兄xiōngelder brother弟dìyounger brother
联合Coordinate

亲 means close or blood, and 兄弟 means brothers, together blood brothers.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 親; 亲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn親qīn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 親 uses 見 (see) for sense and 辛 (a chisel) for sound; the simplified 亲 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 亲 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 兄 puts 口, a mouth, above 儿 to express the idea of giving orders; this fits the old meaning of an elder brother.

Open 兄 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

弟 pictures a spear handle wrapped in a leather strap. The wrapping showed order, and that meaning was extended to a younger brother.

Open 弟 →
Appears in
Family & Kinship

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