弟: the kanji for younger brother
弟 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means younger brother. Below are its readings, 6 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
弟 is written in 7 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
弟 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 6 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
テイ (tei)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 義弟ぎてい · gitei | younger brother-in-law |
| 子弟してい · shitei | children; young people |
ダイ (dai)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 兄弟きょうだい · kyōdai | siblings; brothers |
デ (de)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 弟子でし · deshi | apprentice; disciple |
おとうと (otouto)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 弟おとうと · otōto | younger brother |
| 弟さんおとうとさん · otōtosan | (someone else's) younger brother |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 弟はアメリカの大学に通っています。Otōto wa Amerika no daigaku ni kayotte imasu.My younger brother goes to college in the United States.
- 兄弟は何人いますか。Kyōdai wa nannin imasu ka.How many brothers and sisters do you have?
- 弟さんはお元気ですか。Otōtosan wa o-genki desu ka.How is your younger brother?
- 彼は有名な料理人の弟子です。Kare wa yūmei na ryōrinin no deshi desu.He is an apprentice to a famous chef.
- 弟と一緒に会社を始めました。Otōto to issho ni kaisha o hajimemashita.I started a company with my younger brother.
- 週末に弟が東京に遊びに来ます。Shūmatsu ni otōto ga Tōkyō ni asobi ni kimasu.My younger brother is coming to visit Tokyo on the weekend.
Questions about 弟
How many strokes does 弟 have?
弟 is written in 7 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 弟?
The on readings are tei (テイ), dai (ダイ), de (デ). The kun readings are otouto (おとうと).
How do you talk about brothers and sisters in Japanese?
Japanese uses different words for older and younger siblings: 兄 (ani, older brother), 姉 (ane, older sister), 弟 (otōto, younger brother) and 妹 (imōto, younger sister). 兄弟 (kyōdai) means siblings in general.
What JLPT level is 弟?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
People and family
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 弟
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.