noun
bru
Bru (noun) means a friendly term of address for a man, roughly equivalent to "bro" or "mate.". Example: “Howzit, bru, long time no see!”
noun
1
A friendly term of address for a man, roughly equivalent to "bro" or "mate."
"Howzit, bru, long time no see!"
"He greeted his old friend with a warm "hey bru.""
2
A member of the Bru people, an ethnic group of mainland Southeast Asia.
"The Bru live mainly in Vietnam, Laos, and parts of Thailand."
How to use bru
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIn South African slang, calling someone "bru" is like calling them "bro" or "mate" — casual and friendly.
When to use it
Chiefly South African English slang; the ethnic-group sense is unrelated and comes from a completely different source.
Common pairings
hey bru
howzit bru
my bru
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Word forms
- Plural
- brus
Fill the gap
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Howzit, _____, long time no see!
Etymology
The South African slang sense comes from Afrikaans broer ("brother"), shortened in everyday speech — a cousin of English "bro" that developed independently.
Frequently asked questions
What does “bru” mean?
The word “bru” means a friendly term of address for a man, roughly equivalent to "bro" or "mate.". In plain terms, in South African slang, calling someone "bru" is like calling them "bro" or "mate" — casual and friendly.
How do you use “bru” in a sentence?
Here is “bru” used in a sentence: “Howzit, bru, long time no see!”
What part of speech is “bru”?
“Bru” is a noun.
Where does the word “bru” come from?
The word “bru” comes from Afrikaans. The South African slang sense comes from Afrikaans broer ("brother"), shortened in everyday speech — a cousin of English "bro" that developed independently.
How many meanings does “bru” have?
“Bru” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a friendly term of address for a man, roughly equivalent to "bro" or "mate.".
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