双子の兄弟
futago no kyōdai
The Japanese phrase for "twin brother" is 双子の兄弟 (futago no kyōdai).
双子の兄弟 refers to a brother who was born at the same time as another child from the same pregnancy.
Which one should you use?
While 双子の兄弟 is the general term for a twin brother, you can be more specific about the relative age. Use 双子の兄 to specify a twin older brother and 双子の弟 to specify a twin younger brother. Additionally, 双子の兄貴 is a more colloquial way to refer to a twin older brother.
How do you pronounce it?
futago no kyōdai
Did you know?
- Even if twins are born only minutes apart, they are strictly categorized as 兄 'older brother' and 弟 'younger brother'. This hierarchy is essential for determining the appropriate level of politeness and honorifics used between them.
- In Japanese, 兄弟 'brothers' is often used as a gender-neutral term for 'siblings'. This means 双子の兄弟 can be used to describe a pair of twins even if one or both are sisters.
- In Japanese pop culture and anime, characters who are 双子 are often depicted as having an almost psychic or supernatural connection. This goes beyond the real-world experience of twins to become a specific storytelling trope.
Examples in context
- トムに双子の兄弟がいるのを知ってた？Did you know Tom had a twin brother?This sentence is useful for asking if someone knew about the existence of Tom's 双子の兄弟.Tatoeba #8576168 by small_snow, translation #3514927 by CK
- 「私には双子の兄がいます。」I have a twin brother.
- 彼は双子の兄弟がいます。Kare wa futago no kyoudai ga imasu.He has a twin brother.
- 双子の兄弟がいると賑やかですね。Futago no kyoudai ga iru to nigiyaka desu ne.It must be lively having twin brothers.
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are looking at a photo of Hiroto's family.
- 結衣 Yuiこの人は誰ですか？Kono hito wa dare desu ka?Who is this person?
- 大翔 Hiroto私の双子の兄弟です。Watashi no futago no kyōdai desu.This is my twin brother.
- 結衣 Yuiえっ！本当にそっくりですね。E! Hontō ni sokkuri desu ne.What! You look exactly alike.
- 大翔 Hirotoよくそう言われます。Yoku sō iwaremasu.I am often told that.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
