<p>From my experience, 学兄, for male only, is understandable, but is rarely used. </p>

<p>学姐 is used more than 学兄. </p>

<p>学长 is common and gender neutral, although it's more common among men than women. </p>

<p>I also heard of 学弟，学妹. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T15:25:10.133Z
学长 is not gender neutral.
zyy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T15:32:37.660Z
@zyy I think it's ok to address a girl as 学长, although it's often used among men.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T15:35:30.137Z
Well, I would not recommend that use, since I have never heard of it.
zyy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-26T02:03:24.613Z
@dan In my university we never use 学兄 actually. Instead, we use 学长 to address a boy from higher grade.
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-26T03:12:17.693Z
@TooskyHierot, yeah, I think that's the common sense. But I wouldn't be surprised if someone take a girl as his/her 学长.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-02T02:19:29.673Z
I never use 學長to address a female.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T14:54:45.210Z
2018-10-26T01:57:02.057Z
2018-10-26T01:57:02.057Z
dan
<p>Both 学长 and 学兄 are gender specific and refer to male.</p>

<p>It is however, not common to say 学兄，you would say 师兄。</p>

<p>For a female, you would say 学姐 or 师姐。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T15:29:10.973Z
师兄 is usually used in some scenario like you and certain male are both supervised by the same instructor to conduct academic research while you are a freshman and the male is about to graduate, so I would not recommend to call someone 师兄 if he is merely a 学长 to you.
xbh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T15:33:58.590Z
@xbh It is a commonly admitted convention, but there are people who do not have a preference.
zyy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-25T15:02:14.730Z
2018-10-25T15:02:14.730Z
zyy
<p>So the word 学姐 is gender specific to woman so what about 学长? Is it only use for male? And if so is 学兄 for all gender?</p>

<usage><word><gender>
Is 学长/学兄 gender specific？
# Is 学长/学兄 gender specific？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-25)

So the word 学姐 is gender specific to woman so what about 学长? Is it only use for male? And if so is 学兄 for all gender?

**Tags:** usage, word, gender


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-10-25. Score: 5

From my experience, 学兄, for male only, is understandable, but is rarely used.

学姐 is used more than 学兄.

学长 is common and gender neutral, although it's more common among men than women.

I also heard of 学弟，学妹.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: 学长 is not gender neutral.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 I think it's ok to address a girl as 学长, although it's often used among men.  
> **username_2**: Well, I would not recommend that use, since I have never heard of it.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 In my university we never use 学兄 actually. Instead, we use 学长 to address a boy from higher grade.  
> **username_1**: @username_3, yeah, I think that's the common sense. But I wouldn't be surprised if someone take a girl as his/her 学长.  
> **username_4**: I never use 學長to address a female.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-10-25. Score: 4

Both 学长 and 学兄 are gender specific and refer to male.

It is however, not common to say 学兄，you would say 师兄。

For a female, you would say 学姐 or 师姐。

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: 师兄 is usually used in some scenario like you and certain male are both supervised by the same instructor to conduct academic research while you are a freshman and the male is about to graduate, so I would not recommend to call someone 师兄 if he is merely a 学长 to you.  
> **username_2**: @username_5 It is a commonly admitted convention, but there are people who do not have a preference.  

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