Character

弟

dì HSK 1

弟 dì HSK 1

1. younger brother
2. younger male relative of the same generation
3. (humb.) self-reference among peers of the same generation (used in letters)
4. archaic variant of "第"
5. a surname
6. teacher's term for one's student or disciple (written language)
7. (arch.) 又同"悌"（tì）
8. 古同"第①②④"

Words using 弟 as dì (5)

1 弟弟 dì di — younger brother HSK 1
- 弟 younger brother (root meaning)
- 弟 reduplication for familiar/affectionate tone in family terms
Example

我弟弟今年十岁了。

wǒ dì di jīn nián shí suì le

My younger brother is ten years old this year.
2 兄弟 xiōng dì — brothers HSK 4
- 兄 elder brother
- 弟 younger brother
Example

我有两个兄弟。

wǒ yǒu liǎng gè xiōng dì

I have two brothers.
3 徒弟 tú dì — apprentice HSK 6
- 徒 follower, one who learns
- 弟 junior, subordinate in hierarchy
Example

师父正在教徒弟学习传统技艺。

shī fu zhèng zài jiāo tú dì xué xí chuán tǒng jì yì

The master is teaching the apprentice to learn traditional skills.
4 子弟 zǐ dì — children; younger generation HSK 7
- 子 child; offspring
- 弟 younger member; younger generation
Example

他们是革命烈士的子弟。

tā men shì gé mìng liè shì de zǐ dì

They are children of revolutionary martyrs.
5 弟子 dì zǐ — disciple HSK 7
- 弟 junior, younger (indicating subordinate learning position)
- 子 person, one who (forms noun referring to a person)
Example

孔子有很多弟子。

Kǒng zǐ yǒu hěn duō dì zǐ

Confucius had many disciples.

Structure & writing

弟 dì — younger brother

弟 is a component in 5 characters

HSK 1

第 dì prefix placed before integers to indicate ordinal number (e.g. 第一, 第十)

HSK 3

梯 tī ladder; stairs; escalator

HSK 4

递 dì to deliver; to pass on

HSK 7

剃 tì to shave off (hair, beard, etc.) with a razor 涕 tì tears

弟 is an atomic character — it does not decompose further.

Stroke order