Some languages track age and gender much more closely than others
Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese all use distinct words for an older sibling depending on their gender, and Chinese and Vietnamese distinguish even further based on relative age and which side of the family a relative belongs to. English and French, by contrast, mostly use a single word -- brother, sister -- regardless of whether that sibling is older or younger. This difference reflects how much each culture emphasizes age and hierarchy within the family.
A word can carry more warmth than its literal translation
Many family terms extend well beyond blood relatives -- Chinese "gege" and Vietnamese "anh" are sometimes used for a close older male friend as a mark of warmth and respect, not just a literal older brother. Translating these terms word-for-word can miss that extra layer of closeness the word is meant to convey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Japanese and Chinese pronunciations look so different for words that share characters?
Japanese assigns pronunciation to a Chinese character based on its reading in context (either an on'yomi or kun'yomi reading), while Chinese uses a fixed pinyin romanization for each character, so the same character can look and sound quite different between the two languages.
Do Vietnamese "bo" and "ba" both mean "father"?
Yes, both words mean father, but regional preference differs -- "bo" is more common in northern Vietnam, while "ba" is more commonly used in the south.