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哥们 (gē men) — buddy, bro, dude (colloquial address term for a male friend)

Definition

哥们 (gēmen) is a casual, masculine address meaning 'bro' or 'dude' — a 哥 with the plural suffix 们, used between close male friends. It is more colloquial and brotherly than just saying 朋友.

noun
buddybrodude (colloquial address term for a male friend)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，哥们，？
    Hēi, gē men, nǐ jīn tiān yǒu kòng ma?
    Hey, dude, are you free today?
  • 哥们。
    Wǒ hé jǐ gè gē men yì qǐ qù kàn diàn yǐng.
    I went to the movies with a few buddies.
  • 哥们，，。
    gē men, Bié kè qi, suí biàn zuò.
    Buddy, don't be polite, make yourself at home.

Origin

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 哥 →

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 們; 们 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén們men
Same sound today

The traditional form 們 uses 亻 for a person and 門 for the sound; the simplified 们 is a later shorthand.

Open 们 →
Appears in
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