兄
[a̠ɲ̟i]
In Japanese, 'elder brother' is translated as 兄.
The term is used to refer to a brother who is older than the speaker.
Which one should you use?
When referring to your own elder brother to other people, use 兄. However, if you are addressing your elder brother directly or talking about someone else's elder brother, you should use お兄さん.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 兄さん is a common, slightly more casual way to address or refer to an elder brother compared to the more polite お兄さん.
Did you know?
- Using the title お兄さん can sometimes be used to address a young man who is not actually your brother, similar to calling a stranger 'young man' or 'sir'.
- While お兄さん is the polite standard, some siblings use the very casual 兄貴 to emphasize a 'tough' or masculine bond.
- In some traditional Japanese households, the eldest brother historically held a position of authority almost equal to the father.
Examples in context
- トムは私の兄です。Tom is my elder brother.This sentence is useful for identifying a person as your elder brother.Tatoeba #2305869 by tommy_san, translation #2319875 by Gulo_Luscus
- 兄は大企業に就職した。My elder brother got a position in a big business.This sentence is useful for describing an elder brother's employment.Tatoeba #176573 by arnab, translation #237890 by Swift
- 彼女は兄に憧れている。She adores her elder brother.This sentence is useful for expressing admiration for an elder brother.Tatoeba #1200843 by bunbuku, translation #313376 by sundown
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are talking about their families.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんは、兄弟がいますか？Kenta-san wa, kyōdai ga imasu ka?Kenta, do you have any siblings?
- 健太 Kentaはい、兄が一人います。Hai, ani ga hitori imasu.Yes, I have one elder brother.
- 美咲 Misakiそうなんですね。お兄さんは学生ですか？Sō nan desu ne. Oniisan wa gakusei desu ka?I see. Is your brother a student?
- 健太 Kentaいいえ、兄はもう社会人です。Iie, ani wa mō shakaijin desu.No, my brother is already working.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 兄, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
