bro

/brəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /brəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbrō/ (ame, mw)

bro — 名詞

  • brosingular
  • brosplural

1. a short, informal way of saying 'brother' — the male child of the same parents,

1.名詞A2
釋義

老哥

對兄弟的非正式簡短稱呼

a short, informal way of saying 'brother' — the male child of the same parents, or a male sibling in a family.

例句

Joaquín's bro taught him how to ride a bike when he was six years old.

Joaquín 的老哥在他六歲時教他騎腳踏車。

possessive + bro for a male sibling

Ingrid has an older bro who works as a nurse at the city hospital.

Ingrid 有一位在市中心醫院當護理師的老哥。

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • sis

    informal short form of 'sister'; the female equivalent

  • sister

    the standard female counterpart

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

❌He is my bro and she is my bro too.
✅He is my bro and she is my sis.
💡'bro' refers to a male sibling; use 'sis' for a female sibling.

2. a friendly, informal word for a close male friend, or a way of speaking directly

2.名詞A2
釋義

兄弟；老兄

對男性朋友的親切稱呼方式

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.

例句

Hey bro, do you want to grab a coffee after class today?

嘿兄弟，下課後要不要一起去喝杯咖啡？

as form of address: 'Hey bro, ...'

Dmitri and his bros spent the whole afternoon fishing by the lake.

Dmitri 和他的兄弟們花了整個下午在湖邊釣魚。

plural 'bros' = a group of close male friends

同義詞
  • 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

❌Hey bro, how are you?' (to a female friend)
✅Hey, how are you?
💡'bro' as a form of address is directed at males. Using it with women can sound odd or dismissive.
❌Good morning, bro.' (to a boss or teacher)
✅Good morning.
💡'bro' is too informal for professional or academic settings.

3. a young man who takes part in activities seen as typically male — such as team s

3.名詞B2
釋義

典型直男

沉迷陽剛社交文化的年輕男性

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.

例句

The bros at the gym spent more time taking selfies than actually working out.

健身房裡那群直男花在自拍上的時間比真正運動還多。

'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.

Ho-Seok 笑了出來，因為他姊姊說他買了超大電視根本就是個典型直男。

同義詞
  • lad

    British equivalent for the same young-masculine stereotype; 'lad culture' parallels 'bro culture'

  • jock

    overlaps but is more narrowly about athletic identity and physical prowess

  • frat boy

    specifically refers to a member of an American college fraternity; narrower in scope

反義詞
  • nerd

    opposite social stereotype: intellectual interests, less focus on traditional masculinity

  • geek

    similar contrast to 'nerd'; associated with niche hobbies and tech culture

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.

常見錯誤

❌All my male friends are bros.' (meaning sense 2, but using sense 3's tone)
✅All my male friends are great guys.
💡sense-3 'bro' often sounds like you are labelling and judging a person, not just describing their friendships.