bro
/brəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /brəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbrō/ (ame, mw)
bro — noun
- brosingular
- brosplural
1. a short, informal way of saying 'brother' — the male child of the same parents,
a short, informal way of saying 'brother' — the male child of the same parents, or a male sibling in a family.
Joaquín's bro taught him how to ride a bike when he was six years old.
possessive + bro for a male sibling
Ingrid has an older bro who works as a nurse at the city hospital.
My bro and I share a small flat near the train station.
Koji sent his bro a long message on his birthday last week.
Amara borrowed her bro's jacket without asking him first.
- brother
the full, standard word; neutral in register and suitable for all contexts
- sibling
gender-neutral term covering both brothers and sisters; more formal
- half-brother
specifies a brother who shares only one parent; more precise
文法句型
possessive + bro
my bro
big bro / little bro
用法筆記
This is the oldest sense of 'bro,' a direct shortening of 'brother' that has been in use since the 1500s. It stays close to home — people use it mainly about their own family and rarely for strangers or acquaintances.
常見錯誤
2. a friendly, informal word for a close male friend, or a way of speaking directly
a friendly, informal word for a close male friend, or a way of speaking directly to a boy or man you know — used in the same warm, familiar way someone might say 'brother' to a person who is not actually family.
Hey bro, do you want to grab a coffee after class today?
as form of address: 'Hey bro, ...'
Dmitri and his bros spent the whole afternoon fishing by the lake.
plural 'bros' = a group of close male friends
Zara heard her housemate call three different people 'bro' in one phone call.
Sven introduced me to his bro from university, and we all went out for dinner.
Relax, bro — the test isn't until next Friday, so you still have time.
- mate
British and Australian equivalent; same level of informality but wider in use — works for both male and female friends in the UK
- buddy
American equivalent; slightly warmer and less tied to youth culture than 'bro'
- dude
American; more casual and surf-culture in origin; can sound dated in some circles
- pal
slightly old-fashioned; friendly but less common among young speakers today
文法句型
Hey bro, ...
... + bro
my bros
用法筆記
Very common in American English but now understood worldwide, especially among younger speakers. Can be used between men who are not actually close — in many casual situations it works as a generic friendly opener to any male stranger of a similar age. Avoid using it with women, much older people, or in formal settings.
常見錯誤
3. a young man who takes part in activities seen as typically male — such as team s
a young man who takes part in activities seen as typically male — such as team sports, gym workouts, or video gaming — and who values close friendship with other men who share those interests.
The bros at the gym spent more time taking selfies than actually working out.
'bros' as a social type: young men focused on image and group identity
Ho-Seok laughed when his sister called him a total bro for buying a giant TV.
Every Friday night the same group of bros took over the back corner of the student bar.
Thandiwe's brother stopped acting like a bro after she made fun of his gym selfies.
A rowdy group of bros in matching jerseys cheered loudly when their team scored.
文法句型
a total bro
a group of bros
gym bro / tech bro
用法筆記
Often carries a mildly mocking or critical tone — especially when used by someone outside the group being described. Terms like 'gym bro' or 'tech bro' narrow the label to a specific subculture. This sense is largely American in origin but has spread globally through social media and internet culture.