Brother in Japanese
"brother" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
兄
ani
3 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "brother". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
兄 is an older brother, 弟 a younger one. Japanese has no word for brother without age; you must choose. 兄弟 together means siblings. This is the single hardest thing about translating family words into Japanese.
Top pick
younger brother, faithful service to elders
Reading: tei
7 strokes · nature, spiritual
Where it comes from
Shape of arrows tied with string. Indicating order.
What it carries
Younger brother, siblings, disciples. Represents younger sibling.
Related kanji for "brother"
elder brother, big brother(also: )
kei
Composed of mouth and person. Elder who commands with words.
elder brother(also: descendants, insect)
kon · nature
Composed of sun and compare. Comparing to sun.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for brother?
The most common kanji for "brother" is 弟, read as tei. It means younger brother, faithful service to elders. Related kanji: 兄 (elder brother, big brother), 昆 (elder brother).
How many strokes does 弟 have?
弟 has 7 strokes.