The word for brother in Japanese depends on whether they are older or younger than you. Your older brother is 兄 (ani) in Japanese, while younger brother is 弟 (otouto). There is no way to say brother in Japanese without implying the sibling’s age.
7 Ways to Say Brother in Japanese
Let’s look at 7 ways Japanese people say brother, and examples of each. If you want to know how to learn more Japanese quickly, be sure to check out our learning Japanese roadmap!
1. 兄 (Ani) – One’s Older Brother
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, 兄 (ani) is the general term for your older brother in Japanese. Ani is the word you would use to talk about your older brother to other people. It is a fairly polite word but doesn’t come across as overly formal. Ani is appropriate for any company or conversation.
Example:
- 私の兄は先に学校へ行きました。
(Watashi no ani wa saki ni gakkou e ikimashita.)
My older brother went to school ahead of me.
2. お兄さん (Onii-San) – Big Brother
While お兄さん (onii-san) has the same kanji as ani, its reading is different. Onii-san means big brother in Japanese. It’s more often used to speak to one’s big brother, although it’s acceptable to say onii-san when referring to someone else’s brother in casual or formal conversation.
Onii-san can also be used as a title for young men, although this rule is typically confined to children and the elderly. “Tough guys” may also call a young man onii-san; the nuance to this title is often friendly and casual.
Variants of the word onii-san are 兄さん (nii-san) and お兄ちゃん・兄ちゃん (onii-chan・nii-chan). These titles are more affectionate, holding the same nuance as the English nickname bro or big bro. It also common to say the person’s name or nickname before onii-san. For example, まさお兄さん (Masao nii-san), たくや兄ちゃん (Takuya nii-chan), or even just using nii, like さとし兄 (Satoshi nii).
Examples:
1. お兄さんはどこですか？
(Onii-san wa doko desu ka?)
Where is your brother?
2. 兄さん！ご飯、できたよ！
(Nii-san! Gohan, dekita yo!)
Bro! Dinner’s ready!
3. あら、お兄さん、荷物を持ってくれてありがとうね。
(Ara, onii-san, nimotsu o motte kurete arigatou ne.)
Why, thank you for carrying my luggage, young man.
3. 兄貴 (Aniki) – One’s Older Brother, One’s Senior
Like onii-san, 兄貴 (aniki) is a way to say older brother in casual Japanese. Aniki may have been initially limited to formal Japanese, but it is currently considered impolite to use the word in formal conversations. Aniki is sometimes used to speak to one’s older brother, although this is often done as a joke.
兄君 (ani-gimi), which was the Samurai’s respectful word for 兄 (ani), was used in the times of warlords in Japan. 兄貴(aniki) is an abbreviation for 兄君 (ani-gimi). However, the kanji “貴 (ki)” does not have much of meaning in this case. It is believed that using 貴 (ki) is a change that happened recently.
Aniki can also be used to refer to one’s senior within a work-related or social group. When used for an older brother, aniki should be limited to casual conversation with people in your circle or age group.
Example:
1. 兄貴が試験に物の見事に合格した！母ちゃんと父ちゃんはめっちゃ喜んでいる。
(Aniki ga shiken ni mono no migoto nigoukaku shita! Kaa-chan to tou-chan wa meccha yorokondeiru.)
My brother passed his exams with flying colors! Mom and Dad are thrilled.
4. 弟 (Otouto) – (One’s) Younger Brother
弟 (otouto) means little brother in Japanese. It is always used when talking about your little brother (to someone else). Japanese people may call their older brothers onii-san, but they will always refer to their younger brothers by name and never by otouto-san. This may have to do with the role that age plays in Japan’s social hierarchy.
However, when you add “san” to otouto (otouto-san) it becomes a polite way to refer to someone ele’s younger brother. See example #2 below.
Examples:
1. 弟がいます。ジェームスと言います。
(Otouto ga imasu. Jeemusu to iimasu.)
I have a little brother. His name is James.
2. スミスさんの弟さんは東京に住んでるんですよね？
(Sumisu san no otouto-san wa toukyou ni sunderun desu yo ne?)
Mr. Smith, your younger brother lives in Tokyo, right?
5. 兄上 (Ani-Ue) – Honored Older Brother
兄上 (ani-ue) is an archaic way to say older brother in Japanese. The title was mainly used within samurai households of pre-Meiji Japan.
People of the day might refer to their older brothers as ani-ue (literally honored brother) or the more respectful お兄様 (onii-sama). However, in modern Japanese, 兄上 (ani-ue) sounds out of place. You might find it in period literature or other media.
お兄様 (onii-sama) on the other hand is still used in formal situations (to address someone else’s or even your own older brother) and when writing letters.
Example:
- 兄上、刀を持ってきました。
(Ani-ue, katana o motte kimashita.)
Honored brother! I have brought your sword!
6. 兄弟 (Kyoudai) – Brothers
Many Japanese people mistakenly use the word 兄弟 (kyoudai) to mean “siblings” in Japanese. The original meaning of kyoudai is male siblings or brothers*. The meaning is in the kanji: 兄 (older brother) and 弟 (younger brother).
That said, kyoudai is implicitly a plural word. You can’t say 私の兄弟 (watashi no kyoudai) to mean my brother. It will always mean my brothers. Kyoudai is a useful word for describing your family members or home life to someone else.
*Important Note: While kyoudai is made up of the kanji for older and younger brother, it can be used with girls too. It’s also used when you want to ask someone if they have any siblings or inquire how many siblings they have (example #3 and 4 below).
For example, you could use it for:
- 男(の)兄弟 (otoko (no) kyoudai): male sibling(s)
- 女(の)兄弟 (onna (no) kyoudai): female sibling(s)
Examples:
1. 三人兄弟です。
(San nin kyoudai desu.)
I am one of three brothers.
2. うちの兄弟は二人とも軍人です。弟はまだ訓練中なんですけどね。
(Uchi no kyoudai wa futari tomo gunjin desu. Otouto wa mada kunrenchuu nan desu kedo ne.)
My brothers are both in the military. My younger brother is still training, though.
3. 兄弟はいますか？
(Kyoudai wa imasu ka?)
Do you have any siblings?
4. 何人兄弟ですか？
(Nan nin kyoudai desu ka?)
How many siblings do you have?
Other Words for Siblings
There are actually several words to describe siblings, but most of them are not common (except for shimai). You can use these to impress your Japanese friends instead!
| Japanese | Romaji | English Translation |
| 兄姉 | keishi | older brother and older sister |
| 兄妹 | keimai | older brother and younger sister |
| 姉弟 | shitei | older sister and younger brother |
| 姉妹* | shimai* | sisters; older sister and younger sister |
| 弟妹 | teimai | younger brother and younger sister |
*Note: 姉妹(shimai) is the only commonly used word these days.
7. 義理の兄・義理の弟 (Giri no Ani/ Giri no Otouto) – Brother-in-Law
If you wish to refer to your brother-in-law in Japanese, you can use either 義理の兄 (giri no ani) or 義理の弟 (giri no otouto). Of course, this depends on your brother-in-law’s age; remember that ani is an older brother, and otouto is a younger brother.
However, you don’t use 義理の兄 or 義理の弟 when you are speaking to your older or younger brother-in-law directly. These are only used when you are talking about your brother-in-law to people other than your family. When you want to talk to your younger brother-in-law, you would call them by their name. You don’t call your younger brother-in-law (or real younger brother) 弟 (otouto).
Here’s the interesting part. When you talk to your older brother-in-law directly, you can either call them by their name or onii-san. This is exactly the same as what you would call your real older brother, but there’s a special kanji for your brother-in-law.
- The kanji for an older brother-in-law (when speaking to him directly or speaking about him to your family) is: お義兄さん (onii-san)
- The kanji for older brother (related by blood) is: お兄さん (onii-san)
Even though there is one extra character in the kanji for an older brother-in-law, (お義兄さん vs. お兄さん) the reading is the same as お兄さん (onii-san).
There is also another way to say older and young brother-in-law in Japanese.
- 義兄 (gikei): Older brother-in-law
- 義弟 (gitei) : Younger brother-in-law
These two terms have the same meaning as 義理の兄 (giri no ani) or 義理の弟 (giri no otouto), but are more formal and mostly used in writing.
Example:
- I had dinner with my older brother-in-law last night.
昨夜、義理の兄と食事をしました。
(Yuube, giri no ani to shokuji o shimashita.)
Conclusion
There aren’t as many words for brother in Japanese as there are for mother or father, but the rules are a bit more specific. Remember the difference between older brother (兄, ani) and younger brother (弟, otouto), and you’re ready to go! If you want to learn how to speak Japanese naturally, check out more of our free guides. If you’re looking for the best program or lessons to improve your Japanese, we highly recommend Japanesepod101.
How do you say brother in your language? Let us know in the comments! Thank you for reading our article on how to say brother in Japanese.
There is more than one way to talk about your brother in Japanese. Japanese differentiates between your older brother, younger brother, and even between other people’s brothers. Let’s take a look.
A very common word and that many people who watch anime will most likely know, is お兄さん. This is the word for big brother in Japanese. There is another word for brother, 兄 which is used when talking about your own older brother. おにいさん is also said for one’s own older brother in different contexts though. If you are interested I go more into detail about it below:
おにいさん – Oh Brother, when to say oniisan in Japanese
How to say Little Brother in Japanese?
弟 is the word for little brother in Japanese. When you are talking about your own brother you would say 弟. If you are talking about someone else’s little brother then actually you would also say 弟 or 弟さん. 弟さん would of course be the more polite way to refer to someone’s brother.
What do I say for just Brother?
If you want to talk about just a brother without indicating whether they are older or younger you can say 兄弟. You can see actually that this word uses both the characters for older and younger brother. This word actually also refers to siblings in general. So, you could use it when talking about brothers and sisters. But, there is also a specific word just to talk about sisters, which is 姉妹.
Brother One, Two, and Three
Japanese also gives you the ability to talk about brothers by the order of birth. So, if you want to say the eldest brother, that would be 長男. The second-born would then be 次男 followed by the third, 三男.
Resources
- brother – weblio
Contents
- Introduction
- 1. History
- 2. Difference in the use of ~san and ~chan
- 3. How to call “siblings” in Japanese
- 4. Unique Styles to Classify Gender and Age for Siblings in Japanese
- 5. Similar Words for Brother and Sisters in Japanese
- 6. The Additional Aspects to Know
- 7. Variations on How to Call Siblings You May Find in Anime
- Summary
Introduction
Have you ever wondered what “Onii-chan“, “Onee-chan“, “Onii-san“, “Onee-san” and other Japanese variants of siblings mean? If you have seen Japanese anime or comics, you’ll hear this a lot. Yes, these words are used in the Japanese language to mean brothers and sisters and are commonly heard in anime in everyday life as well.
In English, people are always addressed by their names. However, when Japanese people have an older brother or sister, they are usually called “Onii-chan” or “Onee-chan” In this article, we will explain the meaning and the difference in these words. Not only about this, but you can also read the other article I wrote about Japanese and Japanese Culture. Please click here!
1. History
You may wonder why there are so many different words for “sibling” or other expressions for honorific titles in Japanese. It has to do with Japanese history. The relationship between brothers and sisters differs significantly between Confucian countries like Japan, Korea, China, and Western countries.
In Western countries, not only brothers but also colleagues are called by name, no matter how old they are and what their relationship is. On the other hand, in the sphere of influence of Confucianism, there is a concept of respect for age and seniority. There is not only one brother, but many honorary titles such as senior and teacher. For this reason, Japanese and Chinese kanji are distinguished from siblings. In Japan, the culture of respect for elders is still deeply rooted, so different titles have probably developed.
2. Difference in the use of ~san and ~chan
If you enjoy watching Japanese TV or comics, you may have heard of kinship names such as “Otoo-san [Father]” and “Okaa-san [Mother].” In Japan, the name is used when the upper generation calls the lower generation. When the lower generation calls the upper generation, kinship names such as “Otoo-san” and “Okaa-san” are used.
Why does the lower generation not call the upper generation by name in Japan? unlike other countries such as the United States? First of all, in Japan, it is impolite to say “name” directly. The name has long been associated with the person individually.
Therefore, the name was very “sacred”. Calling a person by name was considered very rude. As it was intended to control the person. As a result, many kinship names were used. From that time on, even among family members, they began to use “relative names”. Instead of calling their superiors by name, this custom has continued to this day.
The family names are based on the viewpoint of the youngest child. That is, from the youngest child’s point of view. Even if you have “Onii-chan [older brother]” and “Onee-chan [older sister]” “younger brother” and “younger sister” do not exist. So the names “Otouto-chan” and “Imouto-chan” are not used by anyone. But why is the youngest child the standard? This is to avoid confusion in the family at home.
When you have many families and a child is born, the eldest son, who was first named is called “Onii-chan” by his parents. Then, the eldest daughter is called “Onee-chan“. Depending on the youngest child, the form of address changes for the family members to understand them better.
3. How to call “siblings” in Japanese
3.1 What is “Onii-san”and “Otouto”?
While English does not distinguish between older and younger siblings, Japanese has words that classify both the gender and age (relative to the speaker) of a sibling. There are four basic terms as the following:
| 1. 弟 (Otouto) ~ Younger Brother | 2. 妹 (Imouto) ~ Younger Sister |
| 3. 兄 (Ani) ~ Elder Brother | 4. 姉 (One) ~ Elder Sister |
Then, how to call them? See the following:
| 弟 (Otouto) -> unchanged as ‘Otouto’ | 妹 (Imouto) -> unchanged as ‘Imouto’ |
| 兄 (Ani) -> Onii-san or Onii-chan | 姉 (One) -> Onee-san or Onee-chan |
“お兄ちゃん (Onii-chan)” and “お姉ちゃん (Onee-chan)” is nothing more than an informal way of speaking of the older brother and older sister. Onii~ literally means big brother and Onee~ means big sister. “Chan” is typically used for children or women younger than the speakers, but it is often used for intimate relationships or when you want to get closer.
The most formal and common is to use the prefix “San”, so we also often hear the words “お兄さん (Onii-san)” for older brother and “お姉さん (Onee-san)” for older sister. Both expressions “Onii-chan“, “Onee-chan“, “Onii-san” and “Onee-san” can be used as honorific after the name, such as Kevin-oniichan.
These four terms are usually used when the speaker is describing siblings. For example, when the speaker talks about his older and younger brothers as the following:
Watashi no Ani or Otouto, respectively. (My elder or younger brother)
Or When someone is describing someone else brother or sister. For example Hanako’s younger brother, then the sentence will be:
Hanako no Otoutosan. ~san to express respect
3.2 How to address siblings with the honorific expression?
Additionally, “Ani” and “Ane” may take the honorific title “O” indicating further respect. These are usually used in conjunction with the honorific title. “San” or “Chan” is the most common for all these four calls. Although “Sama” is sometimes used for respecting the older siblings.
These are used when the speaker is describing another’s older sibling. But also when addressing his or her own older sibling. Thus, the speaker may call his older brother (e.g., Kenta) “Onii-san,” “Onii-chan,” “Kenta-Niisan,” etc.. Depending on how he sees Kenta, though the most common form is a simple “Onii-san”. This is part of modern etiquette in Japanese.
While it is normal in English to address older siblings by their names, in Japanese it is a serious breach of etiquette if it is not associated with a familial term. Similar to addressing parents by their names, and marks a distance between the two siblings. On the other hand, younger siblings are pretty much always addressed by their first name.
4. Unique Styles to Classify Gender and Age for Siblings in Japanese
While English does not distinguish between older and younger siblings, Japanese has words that classify both the gender and age (relative to the speaker) of a sibling. There are four basic terms:
‘Kun’ and ‘Chan’ are the most common, although ~san and even ~sama are often used for respecting older siblings or when addressing other people’s siblings.
In addition, Nii [兄] and Nee [姉] can be addressed with the honorific title “O”, which expresses even more respect. However, this is not obligatory. When speaking to your older brother, you would address him as “Niisan” or “Oniisan.” Older sisters would address you as “Neesan” or “Oneesan” and younger siblings usually by their name.
Next, for these four basic words, there are numerous variations due to regional differences in pronunciation and colloquial usage. Here are some of the alternate versions of Nii [兄] you may encounter in manga and anime, to name just one example:
| 1. Oniisan [お兄さん] or Oneesan [ お姉さん] > General term for older brother and sister. |
| 2. Oniichan [お兄ちゃん] or Oneechan [お姉ちゃん] > Term for older brothers and sisters. Signifying closeness. This is used as a term of endearment. |
| 3. Oniisama [お兄さま] or Oneesama [お姉さま] > Term for older siblings that is the most formal. It is considered an honorific name and is very respectful. |
| 4. Otouto [弟] or Imouto [妹] > term you would use when referring to your own younger brothers and sisters. It is quite informal. |
| 5. Otoutosan [弟さん] or Imoutosan [妹さん] > When referring to someone else’s younger brother and sister. The “san” makes the term much more respectful. |
5. Similar Words for Brother and Sisters in Japanese
There are also several variations on the way younger siblings can refer to their older siblings. These are distinguished between the general, close, and formal conjugations. Different prefixes are attached to the ends of many of these words to change their connotations.
Some of these can be considered synonyms for each other, but many have subtle distinctions in meaning, like the differentiation between “Bro,” “Big brother,” and “Older brother” in English. These are all listed below!
Alongside their meanings, from Anime and TV Tropes. Note that the terms for older and younger siblings are used differently. Younger siblings frequently address older ones by “Title”, but the reverse is far less common.
Older siblings tend to address younger ones by “Name”. The words aniue and aneue have a more polite, respectful tone to them. Meanwhile, “Aniki” as well as “Aneki” are also a way to call the “Boss” of your gang. Normally the boss is a guy, so “Aniki”, but if the boss is a girl, then “Aneki”.
| Aniki [兄貴] / Aneki [姉貴]: Informal slang term similar to the English “Bro.”and “Sis”. It can also be used to refer to high-ranking gang members. |
| Aniue [兄上] / Aneue [姉上]: This is a very formal, but archaic and rarely used way to say older brother and older sister. |
| Oni [お兄]: This is a homophone for the Japanese word that means “ogre,” but can be employed as a pun for a joking way to refer to a brother or sister. |
5.1 Summary Chart
To help you memorize the talk above, please look at the following table!
| Description |
Elder Brother | Elder Sister |
| Keigo – Too formal – Sovereign | Onii-sama [お兄さま] | Onee-sama [お姉さま] |
| Sonkeigo (brothers from above) | Aniue [兄上] | Aneue [姉上] |
| Old fashion Formal – Daily life – Common | Onii-san [お兄さん] | Onee-san [お姉さん] |
| A little more informal | Nii-san [兄さん] | Nee-san [姉さん] |
| Without any respectful, informal suffix | Nii [兄] | Nee [姉] |
| Informal and diminutive suffix | Onii-chan [お兄ちゃん] | Onee-chan [お姉ちゃん] |
| Totally informal with diminutive suffix | Nii-chan [兄ちゃん] | Nee-chan [姉ちゃん] |
| Alternative to nii and nee |
Ani [兄] | Ane [姉] |
| Precious, esteemed, honorable | Aniki [兄貴] | Aneki [姉貴] |
Furthermore, “Aniue” as well as ”Aneue” and “Onii-sama” also ”Onee-sama” are rarely used in daily life. It is because it is too formal. Now, it is only used in Japanese Anime. Most Japanese often use “Onii-san” and “Onee-san” as formal conversation. And people say “Onii-chan” and “Onee-chan” for casual case. Also, “Ani” ,”Ane” and “Aniki” ,”Aneki” are only used own family members, not for another family.
6. The Additional Aspects to Know
“Onii-san” “Onii-chan” and “Onee-san” “Onee-chan” is also not uncommon for sibling terminology to be used for certain non-siblings such as sales clerks asking or calling situations.
For example:
Chotto! “Onee-san! Kore doudesuka? Yasuidesuyo.
Which means, Hey! Mis. [Lady]! How about this? It’s so cheap!
“Onii-san” and its variants are often used by children for older non-relatives. This one’s hard for translators, you want to stay true to the original, but can’t exactly have the kid call the hero a “Big brother”. even though they’ve never met before.
While the word “Onii-chan” is used in the Japanese language to refer by a little sister or little brother to their actual older brother, this honorific has gained traction among non-Japanese anime and manga fans as a term of endearment for attractive male characters in the shows and comic books, sometimes extremely inappropriately. It is somewhat close to the equivalent of an English speaker calling an attractive male character a “Daddy.”
7. Variations on How to Call Siblings You May Find in Anime
When you watch Anime, you may hear the following ways that the Anime characters use when they call their siblings. What’s your favorite one? leave me your answer in the comment section below:
| Anime Title | The Way to Call Siblings |
| (1) Magical Teacher Negima! | Chamo addresses Negima as “Aniki” given the ermine’s personality and habits, it’s almost certainly intended as the gang slang as much as the literal meaning. Negi also refers to his older cousin as “Oneesan”. |
| (2) Yu-Gi- Oh! | Marik Ishtar calls Ishizu “Nee-san”, and Yami Marik calls Ishizu the extremely respectful “Aneue- sama” (curiously enough, while he’s threatening to kill her. |
| (3) Naruto | Konohamaru refers to the title character as “Naruto-niichan”, giving an example of using older-sibling terminology towards an unrelated older kid one respects and admires. He also calls Naruto “Boss“.
Hinata calls her cousin Neji “Neji-nii-san”, leading some onlookers to believe he is her older brother. Many fans interpret that as her considering him one. |
| (4) Flash Backs | The main character is always called Itachi “Nii-san”, which got translated to “brother” in the dub.
Simon naturally uses “Aniki” to refer to Kamina on Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, though with the same amount of respect you’d expect from “Onii-sama”. The dub simply uses “Bro.” Kon likes to call Rukia “Nee-san”, but this is due to the use of the term as meaning “Hey lady!”. Ganju (youngest of the Shiba siblings) refers to Kaien, the eldest, as “Aniki” and older sister Kukaku as “Onee-chan”, while middle child Kukaku uses “Onii-san”. |
| (5) Gin Tama | Shinpachi addresses his sister Otae as “Aneue”; Kagura, despite not being related to either of them, calls her “Anego.” |
| (6) One Piece | Wapol calls his older brother Mushul “An-chan,” despite Mushul’s desire to be referred to with “Onii”. In the manga, Hancock’s younger sisters refer to her as “Ane-sama”. |
| (7) YuYu Hakusho | Kuwabara usually calls his big sister Shizuru “Aneki,” switching to “Neechan” when he’s sucking up to or teasing her. |
Summary
To sum up, please look at the following points:
- There are a lot of different phrases of how to call “Siblings” in Japanese.
- “Onii-san”, “Onii-chan” and “Onee-san”, “Onee-chan” are different meanings depending on who called it or the situation.
- It is better to learn basic “Sibling” phrase to begin with.
- Sometimes“Siblings” phrases such as “Onii-san” “Onii-chan” and “Onee-san” and “Onee-chan” are used by other not sibling people.
- “Aniue” “Aneue” and “Oni-sama” “Onee-sama” are rarely used in daily life, it is only used in Japanese TV or Comics, so, if you want to use it, keep in mind that.
What do Japanese call their siblings?
The word 姉妹 (shimai) means sisters in the plural sense. Japanese people tend to use the word 兄弟 (kyoudai) to say siblings, but this term is masculine. Shimai implies siblings are female, so if you wanted to tell someone that you have three sisters, shimai is the word you would use.
Does Japanese have a word for brother?
The word for brother in Japanese depends on whether they are older or younger than you. Your older brother is 兄 (ani) in Japanese, while younger brother is 弟 (otouto). There is no way to say brother in Japanese without implying the sibling’s age.
What does NII San mean?
Does Nii San mean brother? Older brother in Japanese is “Niisan” or “Oniisan”, but in your family it is used as “Ani”.
Kūya (空也; 903-972) was an itinerant Japanese Buddhist monk, or hijiri (聖), later ordained in the Tendai Buddhist sect, who was an early proselytizer of the practice of the nembutsu amongst the populace.
What is ONII-san in Japanese?
oniisan: meaning “older brother” oniichan: meaning “older brother” more closer. oniisama: meaning “older brother” more formal. oneesan: meaning “older sister”.
Is it ONII-Chan or ONII-SAN?
Onii-chan and Onee-chan it is nothing more than an informal way of speaking older brother and older sister. The most formal and common is to use the suffix san, so we also listen a lot to the words onii-san for older brother and onee-san for older sister.
What does Sasuke call Itachi?
Sasuke would also show great pride to Itachi by calling him “Brother”. But in the English version, he refers to Itachi as “Big Brother”.
What is Chan in Japanese?
Chan (ちゃん) expresses that the speaker finds a person endearing. In general, -chan is used for young children, close friends, babies, grandparents and sometimes female adolescents. It may also be used towards cute animals, lovers, or a youthful woman. Chan is not usually used for strangers or people one has just met.
What is older sister anime?
onee-san Your older sister. ototo-san Your younger brother.
What does Ara Ara mean?
‘Ara Ara’ is a term that actually has a few different definitions, including ‘oh my’, ‘oh no’ and ‘hmm’. It’s usually used by females to express some sort of surprise or amusement, sometimes in response to a man.
What does Kun Kun mean?
Kunくん This is a suffix seen as masculine, used for teenagers and young men. Sometimes, it is used to refer to young women, but only in very specific situations. It’s usually used by people seen as superior, since this honorific is mostly used when one person of higher status is talking to a younger person.
What does Nico Nico NII mean in Japanese?
Only in Japanese there is the expression niko niko にこにこ which is the onomatopoeia of smiling, so basically it is saying that you are smiling in your heart.
How do you say Big brother?
It’s a correct (and common) usage. At least throughout America, native speakers tend to say “big brother” to mean “elder brother”. (I would suggest that “big brother” is far more common than “older brother” which is more common than “elder brother”, all meaning the same thing.)Sep 9, 2016.
Is Kuya a name?
Simply put, “Kuya” is used to address an older male relative or friend (especially one’s own brother), and means “brother”.
What does Nissan mean in Japanese?
Nissan / 日産 Nissan’s name is pretty straightforward. The kanji 日 means “sun,” but is also the first character in what the Japanese people call their county, Nihon/日本. Combine that with san, meaning “production,” and Nissan’s name essentially works out to “Japanese-made.
What is daisuki in English?
Daisuki (大好き / だいすき) means ‘really like’ or ‘like a lot’. The kanji 大 (dai) means big. And 好き (suki) means like, as we already saw above. So daisuki literally means ‘big like’….
What Senpai means?
In Japanese the word is used more broadly to mean “teacher” or “master.” Like sensei, senpai is used in English in contexts of martial arts as well as religious instruction, in particular Buddhism. draft out of high school, has taken the role of senpai (senior) to the kohai (junior) Tyler.
What does Oni Sans mean?
Ani, oni both means elder brother. When you say “oni san” you are calling your brother with respect. “-san” is word for formality, respect. Aniki is also a very respectful word for older brother.
Does Aniki mean bro?
Aniki (兄貴), a Japanese honorable term for an older brother or a superior.
What does Nii Nii mean in Japanese?
I don’t know if it’s an Okinawa dialect, but from my experience it’s often heard in baby talk to refer to a big brother, as (お)にいさん (niisan) is ‘big brother ‘ as you know. Repetition of part of the word is often seen in baby talk in Japanese.
Why is Haku a boy?
Haku is a boy since he was born. He acted and lived just like a boy in his snowy village hometown in the Land of Water. He was never a girl, to begin with, but his appearance tells otherwise. Haku is an androgynous male, giving him features that are more on the female’s side.
Is Itachi Naruto’s blood brother?
Having been traumatized by witnessing a previous war, he was a pacifist and would often run from confrontation. He possessed the powerful Sharingan and was a ninja prodigy in his youth. Itachi is the brother of one of the main characters of Naruto, Sasuke.
Who is Naruto’s twin brother?
Uzumaki Natsumi Natsumi Uzumaki Academy Grad. Age 12 Chūnin Prom. Age None Family Uzumaki Naruto (Twin Brother) Uzumaki Kushina (Mother) Namikaze Minato (Father) Nature Type Not known yet.
Why do Japanese say Sama?
–Sama (さま), the more formal version of san. Usually used to refer to customers who are deserving of the utmost respect status in Japan, people of higher rank, or somebody you admire.
Is Baka a swear word?
ばか (Baka) Baka (stupid) is a fairly general offensive word that’s commonly used in English and many other languages. Some may debate whether this counts as a swear word or not. Since every culture is different, you want to play on the safe side in most cases.
What does swan mean in anime?
chan/swann/chwan–someone you like. chin–camie for shp. sama–mr or mrs. dono–young sir/lady. senpai–senior.
Today, let’s continue along with the theme of family members. And in particular we will talk about the bro siblings.
If you missed the post on little sisters, then you can find it by clicking here.
We’ll talk about all kinds of brothers, but start off with little bros.
The Japanese word for little brother sounds an awful lot like the Japanese word for father. You don’t want to get those two mixed up! So how do you say little brother in Japanese?
Read on to find out!
弟 (otouto) – Younger Brother
The Japanese word for little brother is 弟 (otouto). You would use this particular word when you are talking about your own little brother. But if you wanted to talk about someone else’s little brother, then you would add on the honorific さん (san) to the end of it to turn it into 弟さん (otoutosan).
This word sounds almost identical to the word for “father” which is お父さん (otousan). The only difference is that the word for “father” has one less と (to) sound in it. So watch out for that!
Some of the compound words that use this kanji for “younger brother” are
- 弟子 (deshi) = Pupil
- 弟妹 (teimai) = Younger brother and sister
- 弟分 (otoutobun) = Friend treated as a younger brother
兄 (ani) – Older Brother
The Japanese word for big brother is 兄 (ani). Again, this is the version of the word that is specific to your own older brother. If you wanted to talk about someone else’s older brother, you would have to say お兄さん (oniisan).
Using more polite words for others and humble words for yourself is a part of the Japanese uchi/soto concept. If you’re not familiar with it, then you can read about it here in the post I wrote on sisters.
If you’ve seen a lot of anime or played a JRPG like Persona 4, then I’m sure you’ve noticed some younger characters will say “big bro” in place of their older brother’s name. Sometimes it’s not even their biological brother, but just a guy who is “like an older brother” to them.
In Japanese, the word they are saying is お兄ちゃん (oniichan). This is like the polite word for someone else’s brother, but the respectful さん has been replaced with the familiar ちゃん.
Some of the compound words that use this kanji for “older brother” are
- 兄弟 (kyoudai) = Brothers
- 兄姉 (keishi) = Older brother and sister
- 兄弟分 (kyoudaibun) = Buddy, a sworn brother
More Bros
- 実弟 (jittei) = Biological younger brother
- 義弟 (gitei) = Younger brother-in-law
- 末弟 (battei) = Youngest brother
- 実兄 (jikkei) = Biological older brother
- 義兄 (gikei) = Older brother-in-law
- 長兄 (choukei) = Oldest brother
Today’s post was pretty short. A lot of the information relating to the dynamics of older vs. younger siblings and my vs. your siblings were written about earlier, so I skipped on repeating all of that information here.
きょうだい — kyoudai
Japanese Definition
| brother | |
| 1. 名詞. 兄、弟、兄弟。 | |
| 2. 名詞. 仲間、同志、同僚、同胞。 | |
| 3. 動詞. 兄弟として扱う。 | |
| 4. 間投詞. (en-intj) | |
| 5. 間投詞. くそ。やれやれ。何だよ。へえ。 |
Translations for brother and their definitions
| 兄弟 | |
| 1. n. (collective) brothers | |
| 2. n. (collective by extension) siblings | |
| 3. n. (collective by extension) brothers and sisters; brethren (brotherhood; fellowship) |
Pronunciation
(kyoudai)
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[
anija
noun
Alternate Written Forms:
[
anija
Root Words:
[
ani + sha
English Meaning(s) for 兄者
Definition and Synonyms for 兄者
| 1. | 兄人 | 誰かと親を同じくする男性 |
| Blood Brother | a male with the same parents as someone else | |
| Synonyms: | ブラザー, 兄, 兄, 兄, 兄, 兄い, 兄さん, 兄ちゃん, 兄弟, 兄様, 兄者, 兄者人, 兄貴, 大兄, 実兄, 実弟, 弟, 弟, 弟 |
Meanings for each kanji in 兄者
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This site uses the EDICT and KANJIDIC dictionary files. These files are the property of the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, and are used in conformance with the Group’s licence.
how to say brother in japanese The word for “brother” in Japanese is “ani”. It is pronounced ah-nee.
What do Japanese call their brother?
When addressing your own older brother, you would use the word “ani.” When addressing somebody else’s older brother, you would use the word “onii-san.” When addressing your own younger brother, you would use the word “otouto.” And when addressing somebody else’s younger brother, you would use the word “otouto-kun.” It is also important to be aware of the differences in vocabulary when speaking to family members versus friends or strangers.
“Nii-san” is the more formal term for brother, and is used when talking to someone of the same age as you or younger. It is a sign of respect and can be seen as more affectionate than the more casual “onii-chan”.
What do Japanese call their siblings
Kun and chan are the most common terms of address used for siblings in Japan, although san and even sama may be used for older siblings or when addressing other people’s siblings. Nii and nee can also be addressed with the honorific title “o”, which expresses even more respect.
If you have a younger brother, you would call him 弟 (otouto). This word can also be used for someone who is younger than you in general, not just for blood relations. For example, if you have a friend who is a year younger than you, you could call him 弟 (otouto).
What mean ONII SAN?
My elder brother is a very important person in my life. He is someone who I look up to and admire. He is a great role model and someone who I can always count on. He is a great listener and gives great advice. I am so grateful to have him in my life.
Older brotheronii-chan (plural onii-chans) (Japanese, childish, often as a term of address) Older brother.
Is onii San brother?
Onii-san and Onii-chan are the most common ways to address one’s older brother in Japanese. Onii-chan is a very informal and cutesie way to do the same, something a slightly teasing younger sister would say.
Ara ara is a phrase used by older females in Japan to express surprise, excitement, or other strong emotions. It can be translated to mean “my my”, “oh dear”, or “oh me, oh my”. This phrase is not used as frequently by younger generations, but is still considered to be a part of the Japanese language and culture.
What is Nii Sama
Oniisama is the most formal term for older brother, followed by the slightly less formal o niisama. Even though the o is omitted in the second version, it still retains the formal sama honorific, making it the next most formal way toRefer to an older brother.
It is considered polite to refer to someone as お兄さん (oniisan) or お姉さん (oneesan) if they are older than you, regardless of whether or not they are actually related to you. If they are close to your age, you can simply refer to them as 兄 (ani) or 姉 (ane).
If the person is younger than you, you can refer to them as 弟さん (otoutosan) or 妹さん (imoutosan), or simply as 弟 (otouto) or 妹 (imouto) if you are close in age.
How do you say big bro in Japanese?
There are two ways to say “older brother” in Japanese. The first is 兄貴 (a-ni-ki), and the second is お兄さん (o-ni-i-san). Both are respectful terms, but 兄貴 is more formal while お兄さん is more casual. If you’re not sure which to use, err on the side of formality and go with 兄貴.
Kun is a great way to address young men in a way that is both friendly and respectful. It can be used when referring to male children or teenagers, or close male friends. It is also a good way to refer to men in general.
What is a Dachi
Dachi refers to the body’s position from the waist down. This word is typically used in compounds, such as tachi dachi, which refers to the standing stance.
Aniki is a way to refer to someone’s “older brother,” just like oniisan お兄さん, but it’s often used in other ways, like to refer to someone whom the speaker consider to be his big bro, or to one’s senior in a gang.
What is Oniisan vs Niisan?
Anime is a Japanese word that refers to animation. It is also used to describe a genre of Japanese cartoons and comics. In anime, they are referred to as older brothers. But we don’t usually use them in our daily language.
ONII-Chan is a child, while Nii-san is an adult. Onee-Chan and Onii-chan are informal ways of saying “older brother” and “older sister.” ONII means “big brother,” and Onee means “big sister.”
Kun can be used to address females formally, or very close friends and family members. Calling a female -kun is not insulting and can also mean that the person is respected, although that is not the normal implication.
How do you say daddy in Japan
Father, father, father.
There are many ways to say father, and each one has a different meaning. Depending on the culture and context, father can be used as a sign of respect, affection, or simply as a way to address someone who is older than you. In some cases, it can also be used as a term of endearment.
No matter what the case may be, one thing is for sure: fatherhood is an important role that should never be taken lightly.
Good grief! Yare yare (やれ やれ) is a Japanese interjection that is mainly used by men and means “Good grief”, “Give me a break”, or “Thank goodness”. It can be used to express frustration, tiredness, or boredom.
What does Nya mean anime
Mew is the sound a cat makes. In Japanese, the sound a cat makes is written as にゃ and is pronounced as nya.
Baka is a Japanese word that is often used as an insult or to express annoyance. The word can be applied to both people and things, and its meaning is highly contextual. In general, baka is used to describe someone who is acting foolishly or is otherwiseunthinking. Baka can also be used to describe something that is particularly annoying or frustrating.
Is Oniisan the same as Ani
Ani is the Japanese word for older brother. It can be used as a term of respect, but is also considered somewhat rude. Aniki is another word for brother, but is considered even more rude.
then the brother statement… first of all mikey didn’t say “stay with me” here. he said “scold me/ reprimand me” and the way it’s phrased in the English just sounds off. He uses 兄貴 which means big bro but it also just means an older guy or a senior… pic.twitter.com/AuLq1ChlfM
— 🜃 (@manjitakes) August 28, 2021
In Japanese, “~ san （～さん）” is a title of respect added to a name. It can be used with both male and female names, and with either surnames or given names. It can also be attached to the name of occupations and titles.
Final Words
ototoi
There are a few different ways to say brother in Japanese. The most common way is to use the word 兄 (an), but you can also use お兄さん (onii-san), おにいさん (oniisan), or 弟 (ototoi).
Last Updated: November 23, 2021 | Author: Alice Wilson
How do you address a little brother in Japanese?
弟 (Otouto) – (One’s) Younger Brother
弟 (otouto) means little brother in Japanese. It is always used when talking about your little brother (to someone else). Japanese people may call their older brothers onii-san, but they will always refer to their younger brothers by name and never by otouto-san.
How do you say little brother in anime?
ototo-san Your younger brother. imoto-san Your younger sister. musuko-san Your son. musume-san Your daughter.
How do you say younger brother in Japanese?
The Japanese word for little brother is 弟 (otouto). You would use this particular word when you are talking about your own little brother. But if you wanted to talk about someone else’s little brother, then you would add on the honorific さん (san) to the end of it to turn it into 弟さん (otoutosan).
What do Japanese call their younger siblings?
For younger siblings, you have imouto (little sister) and otouto (little brother). You can add whatever honorific ending you want to them, though -san is the most common.
What is ONII Chan in Japanese?
oniichan: meaning “older brother” more closer. oniisama: meaning “older brother” more formal. oneesan: meaning “older sister” oneechan: meaning “older sister” more closer.
What is ONII-san in Japanese?
Onii [お兄] literally means older brother and Onee [お姉] means older sister. … The most formal and common is to use the suffix san, so we also listen a lot to the words onii-san for older brother and onee-san for older sister.
What is Kuya in Japanese?
Kūya (空也; 903-972) was an itinerant Japanese Buddhist monk, or hijiri (聖), later ordained in the Tendai Buddhist sect, who was an early proselytizer of the practice of the nembutsu amongst the populace.
Is it ONII-Chan or ONII-SAN?
Actually both are correct: Onii-san is the most common way to address one’s older brother in japanese. Onii-chan is a very informal and cutesie way to do the same, something a slightly teasing younger sister would say.
What does Ara Ara mean?
‘Ara Ara’ is a term that actually has a few different definitions, including ‘oh my’, ‘oh no’ and ‘hmm’. It’s usually used by females to express some sort of surprise or amusement, sometimes in response to a man.
What does Nissan mean in Japanese?
Nissan / 日産 Nissan’s name is pretty straightforward. The kanji 日 means “sun,” but is also the first character in what the Japanese people call their county, Nihon/日本.
What does Otouto mean?
en 弟: little brother, younger brother (Wapuro romaji)
What do you call younger brother?
What Do You Call Small Brother? … Half-Pint: This nickname is used for a smaller/younger brother. Junior: Junior can distinguish that your brother is younger than you. Kid: This name implies a younger brother. Lil’ Bits: This nickname means a little (younger) brother.
Is qashqai a Japanese word?
The Nissan Qashqai derives its names from a semi-nomadic Iranian tribe. … Nissan chose the name because the automaker believed that drivers would embrace that nomadic, adventurous spirit.
How do Japanese people say Lexus?
Lexus レクサス, pronounced “Lex-us” in English, is roughly pronounced “Re-ku-sa-su” in Japanese.
What does Suzuki mean in Japanese?
Japanese: variously written, usually with characters meaning ‘bell tree’, the name is probably taken from Japan’s lovely pampas grass, susuki. An alternate pronunciation is Susuki. This is one of the two most common surnames in Japan, the other being Sato.
Is my Qashqai a J11?
This generation of the Nissan Qashqai (J11) was produced by the Japanese manufacturer Nissan between 2014 – 2021. It’s a front engined SUV with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
What origin is Nissan?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
(Japanese: 日産自動車株式会社, Hepburn: Nissan Jidōsha kabushiki gaisha) (trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan) is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
What is Nissan Rogue called in UK?
| Nissan Qashqai | |
|---|---|
| 2018 Nissan Qashqai N-Connecta DCi (J11, UK) | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Nissan |
| Also called | Nissan Dualis (Japan and Australia, 2006–2013) Nissan Rogue Sport (United States, 2017–present) |
What is a J10 Qashqai?
This generation of the Nissan Qashqai (J10) was produced by the Japanese manufacturer Nissan between 2007 – 2014. It’s a front engined SUV with either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive and came in 2 body styles, for example the Qashqai 1.6 and Qashqai+2 1.6.
What does Qashqai mean?
Definition of Qashqai
1 : a migratory Turkic-speaking people of the Zagros mountains situated east of the Bakhtiari. 2 : a member of the Qashqai people.
Why is Nissan Qashqai so popular?
In addition to lowering owners’ fuel bills in a way that its rivals cannot, the Qashqai’s low CO2 emissions makes it extremely appealing to company car drivers and fleet buyers attracted by reduced Benefit-in-Kind tax. … Generous equipment levels also play a part in making the Qashqai the best-selling model in its class.
Is qashqai a 4×4?
Nissan’s Qashqai flagship is a competent all-rounder and the 4×4 transmission adds versatility and genuine off-road ability. Every model in the Qashqai range is a great all-rounder, and this flagship is no exception. The 4×4 transmission adds versatility and rough-road ability to the Nissan’s usual excellent package.