兄
elder brother · big brother
Details
Description
Elder brother - the one who speaks first. Older sibling, and seniority in the Confucian order.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of mouth and person. Elder who commands with words.
Symbolism
Elder brother, senior, honorific. Reflects Confucian hierarchy.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Great presence
Component Breakdown
mouth + 儿
Words & Expressions
Words written with 兄
Four-Character Compounds
四海兄弟
しかいけいてい
people in the whole world being all brothers; universal brotherhood
Proverbs & Idioms
兄弟は他人の始まり
きょうだいはたにんのはじまり
Siblings are the beginning of strangers
Even brothers may grow apart as adults
Anime & Manga
鬼滅の刃
Demon Slayer
Story of Tanjiro fighting demons to protect his sister as an 'older brother.'
うらみちお兄さん
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan
A well-known work with 兄 in its Japanese title.
お兄ちゃんはおしまい！
ONIMAI: I'm Now Your Sister!
A well-known work with 兄 in its Japanese title.
お兄ちゃんだけど愛さえあれば関係ないよねっ
OniAi
A well-known work with 兄 in its Japanese title.
宇宙兄弟
Space Brothers
A well-known work with 兄 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
橘諸兄
Name contains 兄
Tachibana no Moroe was a Japanese Imperial prince and official in the court of Emperor Shōmu and Empress Kōken.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“elder brother”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 兄 mean in Japanese?
兄 means elder brother, big brother. Elder brother - the one who speaks first. Older sibling, and seniority in the Confucian order.
How do you read 兄?
On'yomi: ケイ、キョウ (KEI, KYOU). Kun'yomi: あに (ani).
How many strokes does 兄 have?
兄 has 5 strokes. Its radical is 儿 (legs).
Is 兄 a good kanji for a tattoo?
兄 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means elder brother, big brother. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:elder brother