お兄さん
onī-san[o̞ɲ̟iːsã̠ɴ]
The Filipino term "kuya" can be expressed in Japanese as お兄さん (onī-san).
In Japanese, terms used to address an older brother, an older male relative or an older male acquaintance are used to translate the concept of "kuya".
Which one should you use?
While お兄さん is a standard way to address an older brother or male figure, 兄ちゃん is an affectionate and informal way to address an older brother or male figure.
How do you pronounce it?
onī-san
Did you know?
- The term お兄さん is frequently used to address male strangers, such as a shop clerk or a passerby, provided they look slightly older than the speaker.
- While お兄さん refers to an older brother, the word 兄 is the root for 兄貴 which is often used in masculine or 'tough' speech, such as in yakuza films.
- When speaking to someone else about your own older brother, you typically drop the polite お and さん and simply use 兄, unless you are being humble in a formal setting.
Examples in context
- お兄ちゃん、ありがとうね！Thanks, big brother!
- お兄さんはどこですか？Oniisan wa doko desu ka?Where is your older brother?
- あのお兄さんは親切です。Ano oniisan wa shinsetsu desu.That young man is kind.
- お兄さんに会いたいです。Oniisan ni aitai desu.I want to see my older brother.
Example conversation
Misaki is talking to her older male acquaintance, Yota.
- 美咲 Misakiお兄さん、この漢字はどう読みますか？Oniisan, kono kanji wa dou yomimasu ka?Kuya, how do you read this kanji?
- 陽太 Yotaそれは「山」と読むよ。Sore wa 'yama' to yomu yo.That is read as 'yama'.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとうございます、お兄さん！Arigatou gozaimasu, oniisan!Thank you very much, Kuya!
- 陽太 Yotaいいえ、どういたしまして。Iie, douitashimashite.No problem, you're welcome.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お兄さん, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
