お兄ちゃん
onii-chananime, affectionate
Anime uses different words for older and younger brothers. An older brother is お兄ちゃん (onii-chan) or 兄さん (nii-san). A younger brother is 弟 (otōto). It is also called 兄 (ani).
Meaning: male sibling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| お兄ちゃん | onii-chan | anime, affectionate |
| 兄 | ani | older brother, own |
| 弟 | otōto | younger brother, own |
When a character calls to an older brother, お兄ちゃん (onii-chan) is common. When talking about their own older brother to others, they say 兄 (ani). An older brother usually calls the younger one by name.
How does it change in a sentence?
Japanese has no single everyday word for "brother". The word depends on age, so you must pick older or younger.
Did you know?
- Characters often call a younger brother by name, so 弟 (otōto) appears mostly when a character talks about him.
Examples in context
- 兄は強いです。Ani wa tsuyoi desu.My older brother is strong.
- 弟を守る。Otōto o mamoru.I will protect my younger brother.
Example conversation
In an anime scene, Ren returns home to his younger brother Sora.
- Soraお兄ちゃん、おかえり。Onii-chan, okaeri.Welcome home, big brother.
- Renただいま、ソラ。Tadaima, Sora.I am home, Sora.
- Sora今日は何してた？Kyō wa nani shiteta?What did you do today?
