甥
oi[o̞i]
The Japanese word for nephew is 甥, pronounced oi.
甥 is used to refer to a fraternal or sororal nephew.
Meaning: fraternal or sororal nephew (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
oi
Did you know?
- The word 甥 can be traced back to Old Japanese and was written phonetically as 俗備 in the Ryūnoshūge of 868.
- While 甥 is the general term for nephew, Japanese has a distinct word for niece, 姪, which is pronounced mei. This creates a rhyming pair oi and mei that makes the two roles easier to remember in conversation.
- In Japanese, the word for 'nephew' can change its nuance based on the level of politeness used when introducing him to a superior.
Examples in context
- 甥は１２歳です。My nephew is twelve.This sentence is useful for stating the age of your 甥.Tatoeba #10037949 by small_snow, translation #8188770 by Ergulis
- ジョンは私の甥です。John is my nephew.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as your 甥.Tatoeba #215289 by bunbuku, translation #52588 by CN
- 息子ではなく、甥です。He is not my son, but my nephew.This sentence is useful for clarifying that someone is your 甥 rather than your son.Tatoeba #11189496 by small_snow, translation #297934 by CK
- 私の おいっこ はとても頭が良いです。My nephew is very smart.
- 昨日、 甥 と公園へ遊びに行きました。Yesterday, I went to the park to play with my nephew.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are talking about their family members at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yui結衣さんの甥は、元気ですか？Yui-san no oi wa, genki desu ka?Is your nephew doing well, Yui?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、甥は毎日走り回っています。Hai, oi wa mainichi hashimawatte imasu.Yes, my nephew runs around every day.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さんも、甥がいますか？Hiroto-san mo, oi ga imasu ka?Do you have a nephew too, Hiroto?
- 大翔 Hirotoいえ、私には甥はいません。Ie, watashi ni wa oi wa imasen.No, I don't have a nephew.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nephew” translations and entries 甥, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 甥, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
