📖 Meaning
Cousins who share a grandfather but not a father; paternal first cousins. The term literally means 'brothers of the same hall,' reflecting that they descend from the same ancestral household. It is equivalent to 堂兄弟 (táng xiōngdì) in modern usage.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in the 'Biography of Gongsun Biao' in the Book of Northern History (北史), a compilation by Li Yanshou of the Tang dynasty. The original passage describes two men surnamed Gongsun, noting they were merely '同堂兄弟'—cousins sharing the same grandfather rather than full brothers. In ancient China, extended families often lived together in one household compound (堂), so cousins raised under the same roof were called 'brothers of the same hall.' Over time the shorter form 堂兄弟 became the standard term for male cousins.
💡 Example Usage
他们俩是同堂兄弟，从小一起长大，感情非常深厚。
The two of them are paternal cousins who grew up together and share a very deep bond.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 同堂兄弟
- Pinyin: tóng táng xiōng dì
- Literal Translation: same, hall, older brother, younger brother
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4