Where does “兄弟” come from?

兄弟 (Chinese) comes from Chinese 兄, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan maŋ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(s/r)-ma(ŋ/k).

兄弟 (Chinese): brother; brethren; brothers and sisters;...

Definitions

  1. brother; brethren; brothers and sisters;...

Ancestry of “兄弟”, step by step

兄弟 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Chinese 兄

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Chinese兄—
2Proto-Sino-Tibetanmaŋbig; old; elder
3Proto-Sino-Tibetan*(s/r)-ma(ŋ/k)—

via Chinese 弟

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Chinese弟—

Words derived from “兄弟”

Every word from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(s/r)-ma(ŋ/k) →Every word from Proto-Sino-Tibetan maŋ →Every word from Chinese 兄 →