younger brother

junior male; I (modest word in letter)

a picture of 弟 → younger brother, ranked below in sequence

弟 originally depicted a rope wound around a stake in order — younger brothers follow in sequence after the eldest. The bow shape (弓) and top strokes together trace this ancient image of ordered winding, not a literal bow.

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Top strokes representing the bindingSemantic
Bow shapeSemantic

Words with 弟

关门弟子

guān mén dì zǐ

last disciple of a master

阿弟

ā dì

younger brother

双生兄弟

shuāng shēng xiōng dì

twin brothers

难兄难弟

nán xiōng nán dì

lit. hard to differentiate between elder and younger brother (idiom)

难兄难弟

nàn xiōng nàn dì

brothers in hardship (idiom)

雷曼兄弟

léi màn xiōng dì

Lehman Brothers, investment bank

仁弟

rén dì

(honorific written address to younger man) My dear young friend

令弟

lìng dì

honorable little brother

兄弟

xiōng dì

brothers

兄弟姐妹

xiōng dì jiě mèi

brothers and sisters

兄弟会

xiōng dì huì

fraternity

兄弟阋于墙,外御其侮

xiōng dì xì yú qiáng , wài yù qí wǔ

internal disunity dissolves at the threat of an invasion from outside (idiom)

More characters with 丷