兄
aninoun★Beginner
formalinformal
older brother
兄は大学生です
My older brother is a college student.
兄に電話をかける
I'm calling my older brother.
💡
Used to refer to one's older brother. In formal contexts, it can also be used to address or refer to someone else's older brother.
Collocations
兄さんolder brother (more casual)兄貴older brother (very casual, sometimes used by men to refer to close male friends)
Synonyms
Antonyms
💡Pro Tip
Gender-Specific Term
'兄' specifically refers to an older brother. For an older sister, use '姉' (ane).
⚡Gold Rule
Respectful Usage
When referring to someone else's older brother, use '兄' with the person's name or title, e.g., '田中さんの兄' (Mr. Tanaka's older brother).
📖Word Origin
The kanji '兄' consists of '兄' (older brother) and '子' (child), representing the concept of an older male sibling.
📝Usage Notes
In Japanese, '兄' is a respectful term and is not used to refer to oneself. Instead, one would say '私の兄' (my older brother) or '兄は...' (my older brother is...).
Word Breakdown
兄
older brother
root✎ Noted on May 2, 2026JA → EN