भाईBhaiBrother
Bhai (भाई) is the Hindi word for brother — a male sibling who shares your parents. It is also among the most versatile words in Hindi, extended to cousins, friends, and even strangers as a token of brotherhood, but within the family tree it means your brother.
Who is your Bhai?
The brother-sister bond gets not one but two festivals in North India: on Raksha Bandhan a sister ties a rakhi thread on her bhai's wrist and he vows to protect her, and on Bhai Dooj she marks his forehead with a tilak and prays for his long life. Between brothers, the bhai relationship traditionally means shared responsibility for the family — and Hindi cinema has practically built a genre on brothers separated and reunited. The word's warmth is exactly why it spills so easily beyond the family.
How it's used
An elder brother is respectfully called bhaiya, bhai sahab, or bade bhai, while a younger one is usually addressed by name. Strangers use bhai or bhaiya for shopkeepers and auto drivers as friendly politeness. For example: "Mera bada bhai fauj mein hai." — "My elder brother is in the army."
Bhai vs similar terms
Hindi has no separate everyday word for a male cousin — cousins are bhai with a prefix telling you whose son they are: chachera bhai (paternal uncle's son), mamera bhai (maternal uncle's son), phuphera and mausera bhai for aunts' sons. Your own brother is distinguished, when needed, as your saga bhai.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhai mean in Hindi?
Bhai means brother in Hindi. It primarily refers to a male sibling, but it also covers cousins (with prefixes like chachera or mamera) and serves as a friendly form of address for men in general.
What is the difference between Bhai and Bhaiya?
Bhai is the plain word for brother; bhaiya is the respectful, affectionate form typically used for an elder brother. Bhaiya has also become the default polite way to address young men in markets and streets across North India.
Related terms
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