Definitions
(noun)
younger brother
(pronoun)
I (humble)
Etymology
Pictograph of a rope neatly wrapped around a weapon handle. Based on the original meaning "orderly". The meaning later shifted to "next in sequence" (now written as 第) and "younger brother".
About
The character "弟" finds its origin in an ancient conceptual representation of sequential order, which established its core meaning of younger brother within a familial hierarchy. Its traditional form is structurally composed of the component "䒑" positioned above "弓", which is then bisected by a vertical stroke, a configuration that historically evoked notions of succession or turn. The meaning of "弟" gradually expanded from its strict application to a direct younger male sibling to include any younger male relative within a kinship network, and later, through metaphorical extension, it came to refer to disciples or students in a scholarly or master-apprentice context. In contemporary usage, while retaining its primary sense of younger brother, the character also appears in various compounds to indicate junior status or as a element in humble self-referential terms.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他是我的弟弟。
弟弟在玩游戏。
我和弟弟是兄弟。
弟弟喜欢看动画片。
我的弟弟每天练习钢琴。
昨天弟弟帮我打扫了房间。
弟弟虽然年轻，但很有想法。
弟弟的未来计划是出国留学。