Japanese dictionary
How to say "sister" in Japanese
姉あね · ane
Japanese has no single word for "sister." An older sister is 姉 (ane) and a younger sister is 妹 (imōto). Sisters together are 姉妹 (shimai).
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Ways to say "sister" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 姉あね · ane | Older sister (your own). |
| 妹いもうと · imōto | Younger sister (your own). |
| お姉さんおねえさん · onēsan | Older sister (someone else's; polite). |
| 姉妹しまい · shimai | Sisters. |
How to use it
For someone else's sisters, say お姉さん (onēsan) and 妹さん (imōtosan).
Sister cities are 姉妹都市 (shimai toshi).
Example sentences
- 姉が一人と妹が一人います。Ane ga hitori to imōto ga hitori imasu.I have one older sister and one younger sister.
- 妹は大学生です。Imōto wa daigakusei desu.My younger sister is in college.
- 佐藤さんのお姉さんは医者です。Satō-san no onēsan wa isha desu.Mr. Sato's older sister is a doctor.
- 妹さんはおいくつですか。Imōtosan wa o-ikutsu desu ka.How old is your younger sister?
- 三人姉妹の長女です。Sannin shimai no chōjo desu.I'm the oldest of three sisters.
- 姉と一緒に旅行しました。Ane to issho ni ryokō shimashita.I traveled with my older sister.
Kanji in this word
Questions
How do you say "sister" in Japanese?
Use 姉 (ane) for an older sister and 妹 (imōto) for a younger sister. For someone else's, use お姉さん and 妹さん.
What is 長女?
長女 (chōjo) is the eldest daughter.
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