How to say "brother" in Japanese
Japanese has no single word for "brother." An older brother is 兄 (ani) and a younger brother is 弟 (otōto). Siblings in general are 兄弟 (kyōdai).
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Ways to say "brother" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 兄あに · ani | Older brother (your own). |
| 弟おとうと · otōto | Younger brother (your own). |
| お兄さんおにいさん · oniisan | Older brother (someone else's; polite). |
| 兄弟きょうだい · kyōdai | Brothers; siblings. |
How to use it
For someone else's brothers, use polite forms: お兄さん (oniisan) and 弟さん (otōtosan).
To ask about siblings, say 兄弟はいますか (kyōdai wa imasu ka).
Example sentences
- 兄が一人と弟が一人います。Ani ga hitori to otōto ga hitori imasu.I have one older brother and one younger brother.
- 兄弟はいますか。Kyōdai wa imasu ka.Do you have any brothers or sisters?
- 弟は大学生です。Otōto wa daigakusei desu.My younger brother is in college.
- 田中さんのお兄さんに会いました。Tanaka-san no oniisan ni aimashita.I met Mr. Tanaka's older brother.
- 兄と一緒に会社を経営しています。Ani to issho ni kaisha o keiei shite imasu.I run a company with my older brother.
- 三人兄弟の長男です。Sannin kyōdai no chōnan desu.I'm the oldest of three boys.
Kanji in this word
Questions
Why does Japanese have different words for older and younger brothers?
Age order matters in Japanese families and relationships, so the language separates older and younger siblings: 兄 (ani), 弟 (otōto), 姉 (ane) and 妹 (imōto).
What is 長男?
長男 (chōnan) is the eldest son. The eldest daughter is 長女 (chōjo).
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