兄
[a̠ɲ̟i]
The English phrase 'my older brother' is expressed in Japanese as 兄.
In Japanese, the word for 'older brother' changes depending on whether you are talking about your own brother or someone else's. When referring to your own older brother to someone outside your family, you use 兄 to show humility.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 兄 (ani) is used as a humble term for one's own older brother when speaking to others.
Did you know?
- In many Japanese families, children do not use the word 兄 to call out to their brother, but instead use a more affectionate or honorific title like 'Onii-san'.
- The word 兄 is thought to have evolved from a phrase meaning 'my's sibling', combining an ancient first-person pronoun with a possessive particle.
- In Japanese culture, the choice of word for 'older brother' reflects a social hierarchy of humility and respect rather than just a family relationship.
Examples in context
- 彼は私の兄です。He's my older brother.This sentence is useful for stating who someone is in relation to you using 兄.Tatoeba #163830 by bunbuku, translation #511849 by CK
- 兄を探してます。I'm looking for my older brother.This sentence is useful for describing an action involving your 兄.Tatoeba #11563492 by small_snow, translation #12442361 by CK
- 私の兄は教師です。My older brother is a teacher.This sentence is useful for describing your 兄's profession.Tatoeba #163801 by bunbuku, translation #250708 by CK
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are talking about their family.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんの兄は、大学生ですか？Himari-san no ani wa, daigakusei desu ka?Is your older brother a university student, Himari?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、兄は今、大学に通っています。Hai, ani wa ima, daigaku ni kayotte imasu.Yes, my older brother is attending university now.
- 蓮 Renそうですか。すごいですね。Sou desu ka. Sugoi desu ne.I see. That's impressive.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 兄, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 兄, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
