naan4 hing1 naan4 dai6難兄難弟难兄难弟

Jyutpingnaan4 hing1 naan4 dai6

Yalenàahn hīng nàahn daih

語句Uncommon

Definition

Brothers or close friends in an exceptionally good relationship, or fellow sufferers of a shared misfortune.

brothers or close friends with an exceptionally strong bond
figurativefellow sufferers; companions in adversity; two of a kind

colloquialpeople

How it's used

While this term historically refers to brothers of equal talent, it is now frequently used with a sarcastic tone to describe two people who are in the same bad situation or share the same negative traits. It implies a sense of shared fate, whether that fate is a deep bond or a series of unfortunate events. You will often hear it used to tease friends who constantly get into trouble together.

Examples

keoi5佢dei6哋loeng5兩go3個jau4由sai3細wun6玩dou3到daai6大，zan1真hai6係jat1一deoi3對naan4難hing1兄naan4難dai6弟。

They have been playing together since they were kids; they really are like brothers.

nei5你dei6哋loeng5兩go3個jau6又ci4遲dou3到，zan1真hai6係jat1一deoi3對naan4難hing1兄naan4難dai6弟aa4呀！

You two are late again, you really are two of a kind!

Common phrases

jat1一deoi3對naan4難hing1兄naan4難dai6弟

a pair of brothers in arms or fellow sufferers

Common mistake

Do not mistake the literal meaning of difficult brothers for the actual usage. It is rarely used to describe a serious, positive brotherhood in a formal context, but rather carries a playful or ironic undertone.