Chinese–EnglishWith examples

大哥

dà gē · da ge

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. eldest brother
  2. big brother (polite address for a man of about the same age as oneself)
  3. gang leader; boss
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In a conversation

0:20 cartoon

What to call the vendor

  1. Liangliang

    里昂(lǐáng)，买(mǎi)东西(dōngxi)的(de)时候(shíhou)，可以(kěyǐ)叫(jiào)摊主(tānzhǔ)大哥(dàgē)。

    Leon, when you buy things, you can call the vendor dage.

  2. Leon

    大哥(dàgē)？可是(kěshì)他(tā)看起来(kànqǐlai)已经(yǐjīng)五十岁(wǔshísuì)了(le)。

    Dage? But he looks fifty years old.

  3. Liangliang

    没关系(méiguānxi)，这样(zhèyàng)叫(jiào)更(gèng)客气(kèqi)。

    No problem. It is just a polite way to say it.

  4. Leon

    好的(hǎode)。大哥(dàgē)，这个(zhège)多少钱(duōshaoqián)？

    Okay. Dage, how much is this?

  5. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)看(kàn)，他(tā)笑(xiào)了(le)，一定(yīdìng)会(huì)给(gěi)你(nǐ)便宜(piányi)一点(yīdiǎn)。

    See? He is smiling. He will surely give you a discount.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

大(dà)哥(gē)，请(qǐng)问(wèn)去(qù)火(huǒ)车(chē)站(zhàn)怎(zěn)么(me)走(zǒu)？

Excuse me, big brother, how do I get to the train station?

02

他(tā)是(shì)家(jiā)里(lǐ)的(de)大(dà)哥(gē)，从(cóng)小(xiǎo)就(jiù)照(zhào)顾(gù)弟(dì)弟(di)妹(mèi)妹(mei)。

He is the eldest brother in the family and has taken care of his younger siblings since childhood.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
大
dà

big; large; great; older (than another person)

哥
gē

elder brother

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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