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兄长 (xiōng cháng) — formal/respectful term for an elder brother or older male friend (used in courteous address)

Definition

兄长 (xiōngzhǎng) is a formal, respectful term for an older brother — or a polite way to address an older male friend or fellow disciple. It is more literary and deferential than the everyday 哥哥.

noun
formal/respectful term for an elder brother or older male friend (used in courteous address)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 兄长，，？
    xiōng cháng, Jiǔ wéi le, nín jìn lái kě hǎo?
    Elder brother, it's been a long time. How have you been?
  • 兄长，。
    Tā dài wǒ rú xiōng cháng, chù chù guān zhào.
    He treats me like an elder brother, looking after me in every way.
  • 兄长。
    Zài gǔ dài tóng mén zhī jiān cháng yǐ xiōng cháng xiāng chèn.
    In ancient times, fellow disciples often addressed each other as 'elder brother'.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

兄xiōngelder brother
长chángelder

The terms 兄 and 长 both point to an elder, so together they form a respectful way to address an older brother.

Characters in this word

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →
Appears in
Family & Kinship

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