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兄
ani
older brother
兄は医者です。
My older brother is a doctor.
formal
older brother (of a male speaker)
私の兄は東京に住んでいます。
My older brother lives in Tokyo.
Used by a male speaker to refer to his own brother. For a female speaker, use '兄' for an older brother only in formal contexts; otherwise, 'お兄さん' is more common.
formal
older brother (of a female speaker)
彼女の兄は弁護士です。
Her older brother is a lawyer.
Used by a female speaker to refer to her own brother in formal contexts. Informally, 'お兄さん' is preferred.
neutral
elder brother (neutral, third person)
彼の兄は大学生です。
His elder brother is a college student.
Used to refer to someone else's older brother, regardless of the speaker's gender.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Casual vs. Formal
In daily conversation, use 'お兄さん' (e.g., 'お兄ちゃん' for younger siblings) to refer to your older brother. Reserve '兄' for formal writing or when introducing your brother to others.
Gold Rule
Gender and Speaker Perspective
A male speaker uses '兄' to refer to his own older brother. A female speaker typically uses 'お兄さん' unless in a formal context. For third parties, '兄' is neutral.
Word Origin
From Old Japanese 'ani', derived from Proto-Japonic '*ani'. The kanji '兄' (Chinese 'xiōng') was borrowed from Chinese during the Heian period and assigned the kun'yomi reading 'ani'.
Usage Notes
1. '兄' is used in formal or written contexts. In speech, 'お兄さん' is far more common for addressing or referring to one's own older brother. 2. When referring to someone else's older brother, 'お兄さん' is standard regardless of formality. 3. '兄上' is an archaic/honorific form still used in some contexts (e.g., historical dramas).
Word Breakdown
兄
older brother
root和英辞典