<p>Yes, 哥们 means "men" or "buddies"  But you can still call a single person '你们哥们' (you men). Which refers him as  "one of the men/ men like you". You are not technically addressing him, but addressing his group </p>

<p>For example, saying to a person: "You men are useless" suggest "<strong>you</strong> being one of them is also useless"</p>

<p>"你也是我的哥们儿了" means "<strong>you</strong> too are (one of) my buddies now"</p>

<p>If you have more than one older sister, you can refer them as 我家的姐们 (my older sisters). </p>

<p>Or you can refer a single female as 姐们 (one of the women/ women like her) similar to 哥们</p>

<p>You cannot say 我家的妈们 or 爸们 because you only have one mother and one father.</p>

<p><em>爷们 (males/men) can be used the same way as 哥们. As in  "你们爷们" (you men)</em></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-23T21:26:15.887Z
2018-03-26T11:03:06.613Z
2018-03-26T11:03:06.613Z
Tang Ho
<p>们 adds sociality to these people，same for 姐们， blood relationship is not necessary。</p>

<p>妈们 would be an interesting word， if someone use this word， I would think he calls many women mom， these women give him money for some unhealthy exchanges， an horrible relation， same for 爸们。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-27T13:30:53.303Z
2018-03-27T13:30:53.303Z
sfy
<p>们，is just not only plural, but also is related to relationship or relatives, like 姊妹们，姐妹们，妯娌们，兄弟们。</p>

<p>interpreting 们 as plural,is just what linguists or book of Chinese language regard  as true, in fact, it is not natural and  not true, both from view of  historic Chinese and Mandarin.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T02:56:00.377Z
most users (linguists, Chinese grammar books) know that 们  can function as plural suffix
for human nouns only with certain restrictions see e.g. https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27922/the-phrase-%e6%9c%8b%e5%8f%8b-vs-%e6%9c%8b%e5%8f%8b%e4%bb%ac/27931#27931 esp. comments #1,2
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T03:02:35.273Z
@user6065 you may judge who is right just by hearing familiar speech, the usage is borrowed from european languages  or simulates them, it distorted Mandarin. you may check们 in Hong Lou Meng or Shui Hong Zhuan  or more works for right anser
XL _At_Here_There
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T03:09:08.820Z
们 is originally 每，卫，etc, in works after or about Song dynasty. Plurality is a meaning evolved from them.
XL _At_Here_There
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T03:28:18.657Z
there does not seem to be any contradiction
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T03:33:06.683Z
@user6065 actually, the extended usage bought from European languages has made Mandarin distorted, and is not necessary. It is a pity so many ones have not found that.
XL _At_Here_There
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T14:46:03.510Z
Thanks! Why do you think this extended use of 们 started? It doesn't feel necessary in Chinese, is it just because of the influence of foreign languages, maybe because of literature translations during the twentieth century?
Fran
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-25T00:49:35.477Z
@Fran, the original usage of 们 is limited to nouns of relatives 姐妹们，兄弟们，etc, not nouns about human, so it extended the usage, it is  because of literature translations during the twentieth century, even now,in speech of the illiterate, the usage of 们 is consistent with the original, and the extended usage is not natural to them
XL _At_Here_There
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-25T01:03:16.900Z
what I say can get supported by what  user6065 comments.
XL _At_Here_There
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T02:25:54.757Z
2018-01-24T02:25:54.757Z
XL _At_Here_There
<p>Tang is right~</p>

<p>爷（爺）is complex than grandfather, it also meanings a man who has a higher opinion on himself or a lord. So 爷们 could be “lords” or “men” or even “a man with manliness”.</p>

<p>In ancient Chinese 爷 is also father, the lord of family.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T00:05:56.960Z
2018-01-24T00:11:24.193Z
2018-01-24T00:11:24.193Z
Hao FU
<p>Can someone explain why 们 is used in the word 哥们 to mean buddy/dude, even if it's referred to a single person? Would it be possible to add 们 to any other family name, like 妈们，姐们，爸爸们 etc.? And if possible, is it just a plural form or does it carry a different meaning like  哥们?
Thanks!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-23T20:41:41.903Z
(It would not be possible, however) similarly: （bkrs)  **爷们儿**  ② 男人之间的互称<含亲昵意>。
 **铁哥们** 大陆地区指关系密切的年轻伙伴。
如：「这是自己的铁哥们，多照顾！」coll. very close male friend
 **娘们儿** ：（web）方言，汉语词汇，对成年女人的称谓。
注释
娘们儿,俚语，方言

**野娘们儿** （bkrs: развратница; шлюха）＂whore"
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T05:59:48.937Z
By the way, I don't liked to be called `哥们(儿)` or `咱`/`咱们` if he/she is not very closed to me. That makes me feel awkward. `咱` is used in Beijing dialect, it makes me feels like a stranger come to me and say "Yoooo, what's up", so no `咱`/`咱们`, just `you` and `me`.
LiuYan 刘研
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T10:43:26.487Z
for the sake of clarity "not possible" in comment #1, means to say  that the number of   expressions similar to 哥们儿 is limited（see examples in comment #1)
user6065
<idioms><terms-of-address>
Plural marker 们 in 哥们（儿）
# Plural marker 们 in 哥们（儿）

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-01-23)

Can someone explain why 们 is used in the word 哥们 to mean buddy/dude, even if it's referred to a single person? Would it be possible to add 们 to any other family name, like 妈们，姐们，爸爸们 etc.? And if possible, is it just a plural form or does it carry a different meaning like 哥们?
Thanks!

**Tags:** idioms, terms-of-address

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: (It would not be possible, however) similarly: （bkrs)  **爷们儿**  ② 男人之间的互称<含亲昵意>。  **铁哥们** 大陆地区指关系密切的年轻伙伴。 如：「这是自己的铁哥们，多照顾！」coll. very close male friend  **娘们儿** ：（web）方言，汉语词汇，对成年女人的称谓。 注释 娘们儿,俚语，方言  **野娘们儿** （bkrs: развратница; шлюха）＂whore"  
> **username_2**: By the way, I don't liked to be called `哥们(儿)` or `咱`/`咱们` if he/she is not very closed to me. That makes me feel awkward. `咱` is used in Beijing dialect, it makes me feels like a stranger come to me and say "Yoooo, what's up", so no `咱`/`咱们`, just `you` and `me`.  
> **username_1**: for the sake of clarity "not possible" in comment #1, means to say  that the number of   expressions similar to 哥们儿 is limited（see examples in comment #1)  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-01-23. Score: 3

Yes, 哥们 means "men" or "buddies" But you can still call a single person '你们哥们' (you men). Which refers him as "one of the men/ men like you". You are not technically addressing him, but addressing his group

For example, saying to a person: "You men are useless" suggest "**you** being one of them is also useless"

"你也是我的哥们儿了" means "**you** too are (one of) my buddies now"

If you have more than one older sister, you can refer them as 我家的姐们 (my older sisters).

Or you can refer a single female as 姐们 (one of the women/ women like her) similar to 哥们

You cannot say 我家的妈们 or 爸们 because you only have one mother and one father.

*爷们 (males/men) can be used the same way as 哥们. As in "你们爷们" (you men)*


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### Answer by username_4 on 2018-03-27. Score: 0

们 adds sociality to these people，same for 姐们， blood relationship is not necessary。

妈们 would be an interesting word， if someone use this word， I would think he calls many women mom， these women give him money for some unhealthy exchanges， an horrible relation， same for 爸们。


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### Answer by username_5 on 2018-01-24. Score: 0

们，is just not only plural, but also is related to relationship or relatives, like 姊妹们，姐妹们，妯娌们，兄弟们。

interpreting 们 as plural,is just what linguists or book of Chinese language regard as true, in fact, it is not natural and not true, both from view of historic Chinese and Mandarin.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: most users (linguists, Chinese grammar books) know that 们  can function as plural suffix for human nouns only with certain restrictions see e.g. https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27922/the-phrase-%e6%9c%8b%e5%8f%8b-vs-%e6%9c%8b%e5%8f%8b%e4%bb%ac/27931#27931 esp. comments #1,2  
> **username_5**: @username_1 you may judge who is right just by hearing familiar speech, the usage is borrowed from european languages  or simulates them, it distorted Mandarin. you may check们 in Hong Lou Meng or Shui Hong Zhuan  or more works for right anser  
> **username_5**: 们 is originally 每，卫，etc, in works after or about Song dynasty. Plurality is a meaning evolved from them.  
> **username_1**: there does not seem to be any contradiction  
> **username_5**: @username_1 actually, the extended usage bought from European languages has made Mandarin distorted, and is not necessary. It is a pity so many ones have not found that.  
> **username_0**: Thanks! Why do you think this extended use of 们 started? It doesn't feel necessary in Chinese, is it just because of the influence of foreign languages, maybe because of literature translations during the twentieth century?  
> **username_5**: @username_0, the original usage of 们 is limited to nouns of relatives 姐妹们，兄弟们，etc, not nouns about human, so it extended the usage, it is  because of literature translations during the twentieth century, even now,in speech of the illiterate, the usage of 们 is consistent with the original, and the extended usage is not natural to them  
> **username_5**: what I say can get supported by what  username_1 comments.  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2018-01-24. Score: 0

Tang is right~

爷（爺）is complex than grandfather, it also meanings a man who has a higher opinion on himself or a lord. So 爷们 could be “lords” or “men” or even “a man with manliness”.

In ancient Chinese 爷 is also father, the lord of family.


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