兄

Compound ideograph:

口 (mouth) — the act of speaking, teaching, giving instruction;

儿 (person, child) — the figure of a man or person.

Combined: “a person who speaks/teaches”, symbolizing the elder brother who instructs younger siblings.

In early usage, 昆 (“eldest”) also denoted “elder brother,” but was gradually replaced by 兄, surviving mainly in compounds like 昆弟 (“brothers”).

Semantic range:

- elder brother;

- elder, senior male relative;

- by extension: leader, respected senior.

兄弟 (형제) — brothers

兄長 (형장) — elder brother, senior

兄上 (형상) — respectful address to one’s elder brother

弟兄 (제형) — younger and elder brothers

From the Tang dynasty onward, the character 哥 (originally “to sing”) gradually replaced 兄 in colloquial Chinese to mean “elder brother.” This usage spread through northern dialects and persists in Mandarin today (“哥哥”).

In Korean dialects, “형님” also appears as 성님, 행님, 햄.