Chinese word

兄弟姐妹

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiōng dì jiě mèi

Meaning

  • nounsiblings

Example

我只有一个兄弟姐妹。wǒ zhí yǒu yí gè xiōng dì jiě mèi

I have only one sibling.

Illustration for 兄弟姐妹 (siblings)

More examples

你家有几个兄弟姐妹？nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ gè xiōng dì jiě mèi

How many siblings are in your family?

Core concept

A family group that includes older and younger brothers and sisters without separating them by gender.

Common phrases

  • 有几个兄弟姐妹yǒu jǐ gè xiōng dì jiě mèi

    how many siblings

  • 没有兄弟姐妹méi yǒu xiōng dì jiě mèi

    have no siblings

  • 和兄弟姐妹一起玩hé xiōng dì jiě mèi yì qǐ wán

    play with siblings

Similar words

哥哥gē gē: An older male sibling.
弟弟dì di: A younger male sibling.
姐姐jié jiě: An older female sibling.
妹妹mèi mèi: A younger female sibling.

Definition in Chinese

指不区分性别的家庭内兄、弟、姐、妹的统称。zhǐ bù qū fēn xìng bié de jiā tíng nèi xiōng dì jiě mèi de tǒng chēng

Word origin

兄 (xiōng, "older brother") + 弟 (dì, "younger brother") + 姐 (jiě, "older sister") + 妹 (mèi, "younger sister") combine to name siblings of any gender.

Usage tips

  • Chinese does not add a plural ending to this noun, so context or a number word shows whether it refers to one sibling or the whole sibling group.

Other meanings

  • brother and sisternoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word