how to say brother in japanese anime

by Prof. Jailyn Schneider DDS 10 min read
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  • 兄弟 (kyoudai) = Brothers
  • 兄姉 (keishi) = Older brother and sister
  • 兄弟分 (kyoudaibun) = Buddy, a sworn brother

How to Say Brother in Japanese
  1. 兄 (Ani) – One's Older Brother. ...
  2. お兄さん (Onii-San) – Big Brother. ...
  3. 兄貴 (Aniki) – One's Older Brother, One's Senior. ...
  4. 弟 (Otouto) – (One's) Younger Brother. ...
  5. 兄上 (Ani-Ue) – Honored Older Brother. ...
  6. 兄弟 (Kyoudai) – Brothers. ...
  7. 義理の兄・義理の弟 (Giri no Ani/ Giri no Otouto) – Brother-in-Law.
Dec 4, 2020

How do you say older sibling in Japanese?

  • Don't add honorifics "-chan" or "-kun" to the end. These are only used with "imouto" when you're being rude and condescending to your little sister.
  • Add "-san" when talking about someone else's little sister.
  • "-ou-" means you double the "o" sound, as before with the "e" sound in "nee."
  • "i" and "o" are pronounced as above. ...

How do you say your father in Japanese?

Family-Related Expressions

  • Kekkon shiteimasu ka. Are you married?
  • Kekkon shiteimasu. I am married.
  • Dokushin desu. I am single.
  • Kyoudai ga imasu ka. Do you have brothers and sisters? Kodomo ga imasu ka. Do you have children?

How to say younger brother in Japanese?

some experts and advocates say, and in some cases, after completing their served time. As a refugee, Le came to the United States with his younger brother in 1981 when he was just 12 years old.

How do you say Brent in Japanese?

布倫特 is the transliteration to Mandarin Chinese for the name Brent. This Romanization of Brent is commonly used in Taiwan but also understood in the mainland. ブレント is the name Brent in Japanese. Note: Because this title is entirely Japanese Katakana, it should be written by a Japanese calligrapher.

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What do Japanese call their siblings?

It is the same with the younger sister (imoto). Older brothers and sisters, however, are commonly addressed as "oni-san" or "oni-chan" resp. "one-san" or "one-chan". Why not just call your little brother by his regular name and no suffix.

What is little brother in Japanese anime?

ototo-san Your younger brother. imoto-san Your younger sister. musuko-san Your son.

Does Nii San mean brother?

Older brother in Japanese is "Niisan" or "Oniisan", but in your family it is used as "Ani".

What is Big brother in anime?

Big brothers in anime are known for being protective of their younger siblings and can go through anything just to bring a smile to their faces. Being the good older brother, they have a greater influence on their younger siblings. The bond between the two brothers, despite their age gap, is stronger and unbreakable.

What does ONII San mean?

Oniisan, or onii-san: This is the general term for older brother. Oniichan, or onii-chan: This is the term for older brother that signifies closeness. This is used as a term of endearment. Oniisama, or onii-sama: This is the term for older brother that is the most formal.

What does Oniki mean?

range, region, limits, stage, level.

What is nee san in Japanese?

Kon likes to call Rukia "Nee-san", but this is due to the use of the term as meaning "hey lady!".

How do you address a brother in Japanese?

Japanese Honorifics at HomeMom: お母さん (Okaasan) / 母 (Haha)Dad: お父さん (Otousan) / 父 (Chichi)Older brother: お兄さん (Oniisan) / 兄 (Ani)Older sister: お姉さん (Oneesan) / 姉 (Ane)Younger brother: 弟さん (Otoutosan) / 弟 (Otouto)Younger sister: 妹さん (Imoutosan) / 妹 (Imouto)Uncle: 叔父さん (Ojisan) / 叔父 (Oji)More items...

Who is best brother in anime?

The 20 Best Brothers In All Of Anime (Ranked)Gohan.Lelouch Lamperouge.Koyomi Araragi.Killua Zoldyck.Izaya Orihara.Sora.Yuu Otosaka.Tenya Iida.More items...

Who are the best anime siblings?

The 10 Most Powerful Brother/Sister Duos In Modern Anime, Ranked4 RYUKO AND SATSUKI (KILL LA KILL)5 GAARA AND TEMARI (NARUTO) ... 6 ELRIC BROTHERS (FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST) ... 7 RIN AND YUKIO (BLUE EXORCIST) ... 8 EREN AND MIKASA (ATTACK ON TITAN) ... 9 KOHAKU AND SANGO (INUYASHA) ... 10 SORA AND SHIRO (NO GAME NO LIFE) ... More items...•

Oniisan

Oniisan (お兄さん / おにいさん) is one of the popular, polite ways to say big brother in Japanese, although it is often used in two specific situations: when speaking to your older brother and when talking about somebody else’s older brother.

Otouto

Otouto (弟 / おとうと) is the only word for little brother in Japanese. This is used when talking about your younger brother to somebody else.

Kyoudai

Kyoudai (兄弟 / きょうだい) is the Japanese word for siblings or ‘brothers and/or sisters’. It implies that somebody has more than one brother or sister. The word kyoudai can be used in any type of conversation with individuals other than family.

Ani ue

Unlike the rest of the words on this list, ani ue (兄上 / あにうえ) is not commonly heard nor used nowadays, except for period dramas or historical fiction! This word translates to ‘honorable older brother’.

Aniki

The word aniki (兄貴 / あにき) can be used when casually speaking with an older brother or a brother-like figure, such as a senior at work or among your peers. Though aniki used to be an honorific word used by the samurai, as time passed by, it became part of the more laid-back language today.

What does "little brother" mean in Japanese?

弟 (otouto) – Younger Brother. The Japanese word for little brother is 弟 (otouto). You would use this particular word when you are talking about your own little brother. But if you wanted to talk about someone else’s little brother, then you would add on the honorific さん (san) to the end of it to turn it into 弟さん (otoutosan).

What is the Japanese word for "big brother"?

The Japanese word for big brother is 兄 (ani). Again, this is the version of the word that is specific to your own older brother. If you wanted to talk about someone else’s older brother, you would have to say お兄さん (oniisan).

What is the Japanese word for sister?

Speaking in Japanese kyoudai [兄弟] and sisters in Japanese are spelled shimai [姉妹]. Kyoudai can encompass all siblings even female, although you can rarely find Kyoudai written in other ways using 2 of the 4 characters used for siblings [兄 - 弟 - 姉 - 妹].

What does "twins" mean in Japanese?

The Japanese word for twins is futago [双子] which literally means children in pairs or together. In reality, everyone is already aware that even twins, even when born at the same time, are taken in an order, so those who first came out of the mother's belly are considered older. So it can be said:

What does Onii Chan mean?

Onii-chan and Onee-chan it is nothing more than an informal way of speaking older brother and older sister. Onii [お兄] literally means big brother and Onee [お姉] means big sister. The chan she is an honorary of child treatment, informed and intimate, as if she were a diminutive (little sister).

What does "otouto" mean?

Younger brothers have word-like treatments otouto [弟] which means little brother and imouto [妹] which means little sister . These words don't usually use a suffix.

Do Japanese call their younger siblings Onii-chan?

The relationship between younger and older siblings is highly valued in Japan, not to mention that the Japanese have a knack for placing younger sisters who call their brother onii-chan in anime.

What should a parent call their youngest child?

For example, if you are the youngest child, your mother might call herself “okaa-san” and refer to your father as “otou-san” and to your older brother as “onii-chan”. This is one way that children learn what titles they should use.

Can you use family titles to address someone you don't know?

Oddly enough it can be completely appropriate to use family titles to address someone you don’t know well. In fact this is useful when you don’t know the name of the person you are speaking to.

What are the Japanese words for siblings?

Where English makes no distinction between elder and younger siblings, Japanese has words that classify both gender and age (relative to the speaker) for a sibling. There are four basic terms: otōto 弟. younger brother. imōto 妹.

What is the Japanese sibling terminology?

Japanese Sibling Terminology. Where English makes no distinction between elder and younger siblings, Japanese has words that classify both gender and age (relative to the speaker) for a sibling. There are four basic terms: These four terms are normally used when the speaker is describing siblings.

What does Touma's sister call him?

Touma's younger sister, Relena, calls him oniisama. Touma and Relena are an odd case — they're half-siblings, Touma is half-Japanese and Relena is fully Austrian. Whether Relena actually calls Touma "oniisama" as a sign of respect or if it's just the Translation Convention in effect is never addressed.

What does Konohamaru call Naruto?

Naruto : Konohamaru refers to the title character as "Naruto-niichan", giving an example of using older-sibling terminology towards an unrelated older kid one respects and admires. He also calls Naruto "boss". Also Inari does the same thing.

What does "se" mean in Chinese?

The word se could be spelt as 兄 ("elder brother") or 夫 ("husband"), or for some odd reason, 背 ("back"). Imose (妹背 or 妹兄) means either "wife and husband" or "sister and brother". See also Onee-sama. For similar usage in a nearby country, see Chinese Sibling Terminology .

Why did the Japanese have a four word system?

oni おに (A homophone for the Japanese word for " ogre ", but not often employed for a punning double meaning.) According to Japanologist Basil Hall Chamberlain, the four-word system might have settled due to Chinese influence. Ancient Japan had a more complicated system.

Who is onee Sama in Ninja Gaiden?

In Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, which uses Japanese voices alongside English text in the English version, Momiji refers to Kureha as " onee-sama " while visiting her grave in the ending. At the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II, Selphie, who is one year younger than Kairi, calls her "neechan".

Common Anime Words

Many commonly used Japanese language words are used in anime. The phonetic pronunciation for each word appears in parentheses.

Essential Anime Phrases

As an anime fan, you won't want to stop building your knowledge of must-know anime words with individual terms. Expand your anime vocabulary to include some phrases as well.

All About About Anime

As a true fan of anime, you'll want to go beyond even just building your vocabulary with anime words and phrases. Expand your anime knowledge in multiple areas.

Grow Your Japanese and Anime Vocabulary

Once you've mastered these anime words and phrases, you'll be well on your way to building a good working vocabulary of frequently used words in the Japanese language. Don't stop there! Continue building your vocabulary by learning a selection of powerfully beautiful Japanese words. Then, explore some other cool Japanese words.

What does the younger brother call his brother?

The younger one addressed his brother as “niichan,” (“Big Brother”), and the older one called the other by his given name. In other words, very normal behavior for any pair of siblings: You use kinship titles for siblings older than you, and use names for siblings younger than you.

What is the difference between a little brother and an older brother?

Hence the younger or little brother is called 弟 (spoken as おとうと or “otouto”) while the older brother is called 兄 (兄 or "ani" usually combined with the honorific “o” as in onii-san.

What is the honorific ending for a younger brother?

For younger siblings, you have imouto (little sister) and otouto (little brother). You can add whatever honorific ending you want to them, though -san is the most common. Ani, Aniki, and Onii or Nii with a honorific (-chan, -san, or -sama) can be used for older brother.

What are older siblings called?

Older siblings are referred to by titles: Big brother: o-nii-san or o-nii-chan. Big sister: o-nee-san or o-nee-chan. Younger siblings are referred to by their names or nicknames and occasionally have an honorific attached depending on whether the speaker is male or female, among other things.

What does "ni san" mean in Japanese?

A woman, or prefer to use feminine speech in Japanese. You are referring to your own older brother, to speak to him: お兄ちゃん(おにいちゃん)/ oni-chan (quite casual, common) or 兄さん(にいさん)/ ni-san (a bit more formal, common) These are used to talk to him, e.g. “Hey, (my) brother.”.

Is "aniki" interchangeable with "nii-san"?

Continue Reading. It seems to contradict the other answers, but sometimes "兄貴” (aniki) and "兄さん” (nii-San) are interchangeable. There is a book called "兄弟” (Kyoudai, Brothers) written by a famous Japanese lyricist named Nakanishi Rei.

Can you use Onii without a honorific?

Don't use Onii without a honorific as it means ogre or demon. Otouto with or without a honorific (-chan, -san), and Nii with a honorific can be used for younger brother. You usually wouldn't use -sama for a younger sibling. Ane, Aneki, and Onee or Nee with a honorific can be used for older sister.

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兄 (Ani) – One’S Older Brother

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As mentioned at the beginning of this article, 兄 (ani) is the general term for your older brother in Japanese. Ani is the word you would use to talk about your older brother to other people. It is a fairly polite word but doesn’t come across as overly formal. Aniis appropriate for any company or conversation.
See more on thetruejapan.com

お兄さん (Onii-San) – Big Brother

  • While お兄さん (onii-san) has the same kanji as ani, its reading is different. Onii-san means big brother in Japanese. It’s more often used to speak to one’s big brother, although it’s acceptable to say onii-sanwhen referring to someone else’s brother in casual or formal conversation. Onii-san can also be used as a title for young men, although this rule is typically confined to children and …
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弟 (Otouto) – (one’s) Younger Brother

  • 弟 (otouto) means little brother in Japanese. It is always used when talking about your little brother (to someone else). Japanese people may call their older brothers onii-san, but they will always refer to their younger brothers by name and never by otouto-san. This may have to do with the role that age plays in Japan’s social hierarchy. However, when you add “san” to otouto (otout…
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兄上 (Ani-Ue) – Honored Older Brother

  • 兄上 (ani-ue) is an archaic way to say older brotherin Japanese. The title was mainly used within samurai households of pre-Meiji Japan. People of the day might refer to their older brothers as ani-ue (literally honored brother) or the more respectful お兄様 (onii-sama). However, in modern Japanese, 兄上 (ani-ue) sounds out of place. You might find it in period literature or other media…
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兄弟 (Kyoudai) – Brothers

  • Many Japanese people mistakenly use the word 兄弟 (kyoudai) to mean “siblings” in Japanese. The original meaning of kyoudai is male siblings or brothers*. The meaning is in the kanji: 兄 (older brother) and 弟 (younger brother). That said, kyoudai is implicitly a plural word. You can’t say 私の兄弟 (watashi no kyoudai) to mean my brother. It will always mean my brothers. Kyouda…
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Other Words For Siblings

  • There are actually several words to describe siblings, but most of them are not common (except for shimai). You can use these to impress your Japanese friendsinstead! *Note: 姉妹(shimai) is the only commonly used word these days.
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義理の兄・義理の弟 (Giri No Ani/ Giri No Otouto) – Brother-In-Law

  • If you wish to refer to your brother-in-law in Japanese, you can use either 義理の兄 (giri no ani) or 義理の弟 (giri no otouto). Of course, this depends on your brother-in-law’s age; remember that ani is an older brother, and otoutois a younger brother. However, you don’t use 義理の兄 or 義理の弟 when you are speaking to your older or younger brother-in-law directly. These are only used whe…
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The Meaning of Onii-chan, Onee-chan, Onii-San, Onee-san

Futago - When Are Twin Brothers?

  • If both are twin brothers, what do they call each other? Who will decide to be the younger brother or older brother? The Japanese word for twins is futago[双子] which literally means children in pairs or together. In reality, everyone is already aware that even twins, even when born at the same time, are taken in an order, so those who first came out of the mother’s belly are considered olde…
See more on skdesu.com

The Different Ways to Speak Older Brother in Japanese

  • In Japanese, there is a hierarchy of treatment, a formal, common, and informal language. This is one of the main reasons there are so many variations and ways to say big brother in Japanese. To make it easier, let's put a list of words below, exemplifying the idea a little: Remembering that all the words in the list below refer to older sisters or brothers: AnikiIt is often used by the yakuza, i…
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Kyoudai and Shimai - Other Ways to Talk About Siblings

  • The relationship between younger and older siblings is highly valued in Japan. The Japanese have a knack for placing younger sisters who call their brother onii-chan in anime. We already mentioned that brother and little sister are imouto [妹] and otouto [弟], but remember that it is not as common to use suffixes as san [さん] and chan[ちゃん] for younger...
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