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弟
🇹🇼🇭🇰🇨🇳🇯🇵🇰🇷

younger brother

HSK 1 N3
Human →Relations →Family
dì
テイ、ダイ、デ
おとうと
제
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".
Notes
Historical Evolution
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze Mid Spring and Autumn (~600 BC)
Bronze
Mid Spring and Autumn (~600 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
弟
Regular
Modern
Chinese
弟 [dì]
younger brother; junior male; I (modest word in letter)
弟 [tì]
variant of 悌[tì]
Japanese
弟 おとうと 、 てい 同音

noun

  1. younger brother; little brother; kid brother
  2. brother-in-law (spouse's younger brother or younger sister's husband)
  3. archaic pupil; apprentice
弟 おとと 同音
noun archaic younger sibling
弟 、 乙 おと 同音

noun

  1. archaic younger brother (of an older brother); younger sister (of an older sister)
  2. archaic youngest child

prefix

  1. archaic young; younger; youngest
  2. archaic young and beautiful; cute
Example Sentences
🇯🇵 (1)
彼は私と弟を取り違えた。
He mistook me for my younger brother.
Japanese Names
弟 てい
Tei given name
CHINESE WORDS (85)
兄弟 [xiōng​dì] #400
brothers
弟弟 [dì​di] #918
younger brother
弟子 [dì​zǐ] #22,524
disciple
老弟 [lǎo​dì] #3,787
(affectionate form of address for a male who is not very much younger than oneself) my boy
小弟 [xiǎo​dì] #6,907
little brother
弟兄 [dì​xiong] #5,654
brothers
徒弟 [tú​dì] #11,439
apprentice
子弟 [zǐ​dì] #19,702
child
表弟 [biǎo​dì] #6,072
younger male cousin via female line
师弟 [shī​dì] #43,214
young disciple (of the same master)
75 more items
JAPANESE WORDS (88)
⭐ 兄弟 [きょうだい] #2,604
siblings
⭐ 弟子 [でし] #3,946
pupil
姉弟 [してい] #11,647
older sister and younger brother
弟さん [おとうとさん] #18,926
younger brother
⭐ 弟子入り [でしいり] #21,013
becoming a pupil (of)
⭐ 従兄弟 [いとこ] #21,644
cousin (male)
⭐ 子弟 [してい] #23,220
children
⭐ 師弟 [してい] #24,448
teacher and student
⭐ 義弟 [ぎてい] #26,076
brother-in-law (spouse's younger brother or younger sister's husband)
王弟 [おうてい] #26,563
royal prince
78 more items
KOREAN WORDS (9)
형제 #3,657
brothers
난형난제
being almost equal; having trouble telling which is better
도제
student; disciple
애제자
one's favorite student
의형제
blood brothers; sworn brothers
자제
son
제자
student
친형제
one's brother
형제애
brotherhood; sisterhood; fraternal affection