妹
imōtostandard
In anime, little sister is 妹 (imōto). A character may speak of her as 妹ちゃん (imōto-chan) when showing affection. It is also called お姉ちゃん (onee-chan).
Meaning: younger sister (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 妹 | imōto | standard |
| 妹ちゃん | imōto-chan | affectionate |
| お姉ちゃん | onee-chan | what she calls her older sister |
A big brother or sister usually calls a younger sister by name. 妹 (imōto) is used when talking about her to other people. She calls her older sister お姉ちゃん (onee-chan).
How does it change in a sentence?
The word does not change for age or tone. Its partner for a younger brother is 弟 (otōto).
Did you know?
- A little sister who adores her older brother is a very common character in anime.
Examples in context
- 妹はまだ小さいです。Imōto wa mada chiisai desu.My little sister is still small.
- 妹を守る。Imōto o mamoru.I will protect my little sister.
- 妹ちゃんは元気？Imōto-chan wa genki?How is your little sister?
Example conversation
Shun takes his little sister Hina to the festival.
- Hinaお兄ちゃん、あれ見て！Onii-chan, are mite!Big brother, look at that!
- Shunいいよ、行こう。Ii yo, ikō.Okay, let us go.
- Hinaやったー！Yattā!Yay!
