妹
[imo̞]
The Japanese word for "little sister" is 妹.
The word 妹 is used to identify a younger female sibling, whether you are talking about your own sister or referring to the general concept of a younger sister.
Which one should you use?
While 妹 refers to a little sister, when you are talking about someone else's little sister, it is more polite to use the form 妹さん.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- 私の妹は四歳です。My little sister is 4 years old.This sentence is useful for stating the age of your 妹.Tatoeba #10979890 by small_snow, translation #13061414 by terrywallwork
- 父と母と妹がいます。My family has my father, my mother, and my little sister.This sentence is useful for listing members of your family, including your 妹.Tatoeba #84830 by bunbuku, translation #603395 by Shoyren
- 妹に優しくしなさい。Be nice to your little sister.This sentence is useful for giving advice about how to treat your 妹.Tatoeba #10205324 by bunbuku, translation #10205325 by DJ_Saidez
- Watashi no imōto wa yasashii hito desu. (私の妹は優しい人です。)My little sister is a kind person.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their families at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki妹はいますか？Imouto wa imasu ka?Do you have a little sister?
- 健太 Kentaはい、妹が一人います。Hai, imouto ga hitori imasu.Yes, I have one little sister.
- 美咲 Misaki妹さんは学生ですか？Imoutosan wa gakusei desu ka?Is your little sister a student?
- 健太 Kentaはい、高校生です。Hai, koukousei desu.Yes, she is a high school student.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 妹, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 妹, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
