哥 meaning and stroke order
Elder brother
How to write 哥, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Meaning of 哥
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- elder brother
How 哥 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. One person talking 可 over another 可.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 哥
哥 is two 可 (kě) stacked on top of each other. Picture an elder brother talking over you, one 可 on top of another, always getting the last word.
On its own 哥 usually appears doubled as 哥哥 (gēge) for your own older brother. It also works as a friendly title for men, as in 大哥 (dàgē) or 帅哥 (shuàigē). Example: 我哥哥在北京工作。(Wǒ gēge zài Běijīng gōngzuò.) My older brother works in Beijing.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 哥 as just one 可 or forget that the top 可 has a shortened hook so it sits neatly above the bottom one. In 哥哥 the second syllable is neutral tone, so say gēge, not gēgē.
Common words with 哥
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 哥哥 | gēge | older brother | HSK 1 |
| 大哥 | dàgē | eldest brother; big brother (polite address for a man of about the same age as oneself) | HSK 4 |
| 帅哥 | shuàigē | handsome guy; lady-killer | HSK 4 |
| 哥们 | gēmen | (coll.) dude; buddy; bro | |
| 表哥 | biǎogē | older male cousin through a female relative | |
| 哥们儿 | gēmenr | erhua form of 哥們|哥们[ge1 men5] | |
| 老哥 | lǎogē | form of address for a (slightly) older man (esp. among males) | |
| 哥特 | gētè | (loanword) Gothic subculture or aesthetic | |
| 二哥 | èrgē | second brother | |
| 小哥 | xiǎogē | (coll.) young man; polite or friendly form of address or reference for a young male | |
| 老大哥 | lǎodàgē | big brother | |
| 阿哥 | āgē | (familiar) elder brother | |
| 的哥 | dīgē | male taxi driver; cabbie (slang) | |
| 堂哥 | tánggē | older male patrilineal cousin |
哥 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 哥
Learning 哥 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 哥
How many strokes are in 哥?
哥 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 哥 mean?
哥 (gē) means elder brother. A common word with it is 哥哥 (gēge), meaning "older brother".
How do you pronounce 哥?
哥 is pronounced gē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 哥?
The radical of 哥 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 哥 under this radical.
Is 哥 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 哥 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Can I call a stranger 帅哥 or 大哥 in China?
Yes. 帅哥 (shuàigē) is a common casual way to address a young man, for example a waiter or shop assistant. 大哥 (dàgē) is used for a man around your age or a bit older and sounds friendly and respectful.
What is the difference between 哥哥 and 表哥?
哥哥 (gēge) is your own older brother. 表哥 (biǎogē) is an older male cousin, typically through your mother's side or a father's sister, while a cousin who shares your surname through your father's brother is 堂哥 (tánggē).