兄が大好き
ani ga daisuki
To say "I love my brother" in Japanese, you say 兄が大好き (ani ga daisuki).
This phrase is used to express a strong feeling of affection for one's older brother.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 兄 (ani), which specifically refers to one's own older brother.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To make the expression more polite, which is suitable when speaking to strangers or teachers, you can say 兄のことが大好きです.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai dialect, the word mecha can be used to mean "very" or "extremely".
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle が (ga) acts as a subject marker. In this specific grammatical structure for the word daisuki, it is used to mark the brother as the object of your affection.
How do you pronounce it?
ani ga daisuki
Did you know?
- Japanese culture often prioritizes 'reading the air' over verbalizing affection, so saying 兄が大好き out loud is often seen as a very bold or emotional gesture.
- The word 大好き (daisuki) literally combines the characters for 'big' and 'like', creating a meaning of 'big like' rather than a distinct word for 'love'.
- In many Japanese families, children do not use the word 'brother' as a name at all. Instead, they use honorific titles like お兄さん (oniisan) as a substitute for a proper name, treating the familial role as a formal title.
Examples in context
- Ani ga iru koto de shiawase desu (兄がいることで幸せです)Having my brother makes me happy
- 兄が大好きです。Ani ga daisuki desu.I love my older brother.
- 本当に、兄が大好きなんです。Hontou ni, ani ga daisuki nan desu.I really love my older brother.
- 昔から、兄が大好きでした。Mukashi kara, ani ga daisuki deshita.I have loved my older brother since long ago.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their family members.
- 健太 Kenta陽葵さんは、家族と仲がいいの？Himari-san wa, kazoku to nakai no?Himari, do you get along well with your family?
- 陽葵 Himariはい。特に、兄が大好きなんです。Hai. Tokuni, ani ga daisuki nan desu.Yes. Especially, I love my older brother.
- 健太 Kentaそれは素敵な関係だね。Sore wa suteki na kankei dane.That is a wonderful relationship.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さんも、家族は大切にしてる？Kenta-san mo, kazoku wa taisetsu ni shiteru?Kenta, do you also cherish your family?
