When you're talking about your family in Japanese, you'll often hear the word 兄弟 (kyoudai). This word means siblings, and it can refer to brothers, or a mix of brothers and sisters. It doesn't specifically mean only brothers, even though the characters literally mean 'older brother' and 'younger brother'.
If you want to be specific about sisters, you can use other words like 姉妹 (shimai).
兄弟 in 30 Sekunden
- Use 兄弟 for 'siblings' in general.
- Literally means 'brothers' but includes sisters.
- Commonly used when talking about family members.
§ Understanding 兄弟 (kyoudai)
The Japanese word 兄弟 (kyoudai) is commonly translated as 'siblings' or 'brothers.' It's important to note that while it can specifically mean 'brothers,' it is very often used in a general sense to refer to a group of siblings, including both brothers and sisters. Context is key, and often, if you want to be specific about sisters, you'd use 姉妹 (shimai).
- Japanese Word
- 兄弟 (kyoudai)
- Definition
- siblings, brothers (often includes sisters)
- CEFR Level
- A2
§ 兄弟 in everyday situations
You'll hear 兄弟 (kyoudai) in many daily conversations, especially when people are talking about family. It's a fundamental word for describing relationships. Let's look at some common places you might encounter it.
§ At School and Among Friends
When you're at school or chatting with friends, talking about family is natural. 兄弟 comes up frequently in these casual settings.
彼は兄弟がたくさんいます。
Hint: He has many siblings.
あなたの兄弟は何人ですか？
Hint: How many siblings do you have?
§ In Work Settings
While less common than in personal conversations, 兄弟 can still appear in work-related discussions, especially if you're talking about family businesses or personal backgrounds with colleagues you know well.
彼らは兄弟で会社を経営しています。
Hint: They (siblings) run a company together.
§ In News and Media
The news often covers stories involving families, and 兄弟 is frequently used. This could be in reports about famous families, historical figures, or even general human interest stories.
有名なアーティストの兄弟が新しいアルバムをリリースしました。
Hint: The famous artist's siblings released a new album.
§ Other uses and phrases
Beyond direct family references, 兄弟 can sometimes be used in more extended or metaphorical ways. While not as common, it’s good to be aware of these.
When referring to close friends or comrades, especially in informal or older contexts, you might hear 兄弟分 (kyodaibun), meaning 'like a brother.' This is less common in modern everyday speech but appears in certain dramas or literature.
The phrase 兄弟喧嘩 (kyoudai genka) means 'sibling quarrel' and is a common expression.
兄弟喧嘩はよくあることです。
Hint: Sibling quarrels are common.
Wusstest du?
The character '弟' (dèi) originally depicted a string with knots, symbolizing order or sequence, hence 'younger brother' in relation to 'elder brother'.
Beispiele nach Niveau
私は兄弟が3人います。2人の兄と1人の妹です。
I have three siblings. Two older brothers and one younger sister.
〜人 (〜nin) is a counter for people.
彼らは兄弟で会社を経営しています。
They run a company as brothers (siblings).
〜で (〜de) can indicate the role or capacity in which someone does something.
兄弟げんかはよくあることですが、すぐに仲直りします。
Sibling quarrels are common, but they reconcile quickly.
〜けんか (〜kenka) means quarrel or fight. 〜はよくあること (〜wa yoku aru koto) means 'it's a common thing'.
子供の頃、兄弟と一緒に近くの公園でよく遊びました。
When I was a child, I often played with my siblings in the nearby park.
〜と一緒に (〜to issho ni) means 'together with'.
彼は兄弟の中で一番背が高いです。
Among his siblings, he is the tallest.
〜の中で (〜no naka de) means 'among' or 'within'.
兄弟の絆はとても強いと思います。
I think the bond between siblings is very strong.
〜の絆 (〜no kizuna) means 'the bond of 〜'.
私たちは兄弟のような関係です。
We have a relationship like siblings.
〜のような (〜no yō na) means 'like' or 'similar to'.
彼の兄弟は皆、彼と同じ学校に通っていました。
All of his siblings attended the same school as him.
皆 (mina) means 'all' or 'everyone'.
Wortherkunft
From Middle Chinese 'kyangH-dajX' (兄 'elder brother' + 弟 'younger brother').
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: Elder and younger brothers.
Sino-Japanese (漢語: kango).Kultureller Kontext
In Japan, '兄弟' often refers to siblings in general, including sisters, especially in formal contexts or when emphasizing the family bond. While there are specific words for 'sister' (姉妹 - shimai), '兄弟' can be a more encompassing term similar to how 'brothers' in English can sometimes refer to a mixed-gender group. It highlights the importance of family ties and the hierarchical relationships within a family.
Teste dich selbst 48 Fragen
Listen for 'siblings' or 'brothers'.
Listen for 'three siblings'.
Listen for 'how many siblings'.
Read this aloud:
私には兄弟がいます。
Focus: kyoudai (兄弟)
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Read this aloud:
兄弟は何人ですか？
Focus: nan-nin (何人)
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
私の兄弟は元気です。
Focus: genki (元気)
Du hast gesagt:
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私には___が二人います。
「兄弟」は性別を問わず「きょうだい」として使われます。この文では「兄弟が二人」で「I have two siblings」となります。
あなたの___は何人ですか？
「兄弟は何人ですか？」は「How many siblings do you have?」という一般的な質問です。
彼は私の___で、私より年上です。
「彼は私の兄弟で、私より年上です。」は「He is my older brother, and he is older than me.」となります。「兄弟」は「きょうだい」と読む場合は性別を問いませんが、ここでは「年上」とあるので、特定の兄弟を指す可能性があります。しかし、一般的な表現として「兄弟」も正解となりえます。
___で一緒に遊びました。
「兄弟で一緒に遊びました。」は「I played together with my siblings.」となります。
___は大切にしましょう。
「兄弟は大切にしましょう。」は「Let's cherish our siblings.」となります。
彼女には___が三人います。
「彼女には兄弟が三人います。」は「She has three siblings.」となります。
Listen to how many siblings the speaker has.
Listen for the question about someone's siblings.
Listen to what kind of relationship is described.
Read this aloud:
私には兄弟がいます。
Focus: kyōdai
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
兄弟は何人ですか？
Focus: nan-nin
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
私の兄弟はみんな学生です。
Focus: minna gakusei
Du hast gesagt:
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Write a sentence in Japanese introducing your siblings. If you don't have any, write that you are an only child. Use 兄弟.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私には兄弟が二人います。 (I have two siblings.) / 私は一人っ子です。 (I am an only child.)
Describe a simple activity you do with your siblings. Use 兄弟.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
兄弟と週末に映画を見ます。 (I watch movies with my siblings on weekends.)
Write a short message to a friend asking if they have siblings. Use 兄弟.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
ジョンさん、兄弟がいますか？ (John, do you have siblings?)
田中さんには何人兄弟がいますか？
Read this passage:
田中さんには兄弟がいます。彼には兄が一人と妹が一人います。彼らはよく一緒に公園で遊びます。
田中さんには何人兄弟がいますか？
passage says: 兄が一人と妹が一人 (one older brother and one younger sister), which makes two siblings.
passage says: 兄が一人と妹が一人 (one older brother and one younger sister), which makes two siblings.
鈴木さんは兄弟がいますか？
Read this passage:
私の友達の鈴木さんは兄弟がいません。彼女は一人っ子なので、いつも一人で勉強しています。
鈴木さんは兄弟がいますか？
passage says: 鈴木さんは兄弟がいません。(Suzuki-san doesn't have siblings.)
passage says: 鈴木さんは兄弟がいません。(Suzuki-san doesn't have siblings.)
「兄弟」は何を指しますか？
Read this passage:
日本には「兄弟」という言葉があります。これは「きょうだい」と読み、兄弟姉妹全体を指すことが多いです。
「兄弟」は何を指しますか？
The passage states: 兄弟姉妹全体を指すことが多いです。(It often refers to siblings in general.)
The passage states: 兄弟姉妹全体を指すことが多いです。(It often refers to siblings in general.)
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 彼女には三人（ ）がいます。
The sentence means 'She has three siblings.' '兄弟' (kyoudai) refers to siblings in general, often including sisters even when translated as 'brothers.' '姉妹' (shimai) specifically means sisters, '家族' (kazoku) means family, and '友達' (tomodachi) means friends.
Which of the following sentences correctly uses '兄弟'?
The correct sentence means 'All my siblings are university students.' '兄弟' refers to human siblings. The other options are incorrect as they associate '兄弟' with animals, teachers, or inanimate objects.
If someone says '私は兄弟が一人います', what does it mean?
While '兄弟' can be translated as 'brothers,' in this context, it generally refers to siblings, which could be a brother or a sister, or multiple brothers and sisters. Without further context, 'one sibling' is the most accurate and inclusive translation.
The word '兄弟' (kyoudai) can refer to both brothers and sisters.
'兄弟' (kyoudai) is a broad term that often encompasses both male and female siblings, especially when talking about 'siblings' in general.
If you want to specifically talk about your sisters, you should use '兄弟'.
If you want to specifically talk about your sisters, the appropriate word is '姉妹' (shimai). '兄弟' is a more general term for siblings.
The sentence '彼には兄弟がいません' means 'He has no siblings'.
The sentence '彼には兄弟がいません' (Kare ni wa kyoudai ga imasen) directly translates to 'He has no siblings.'
The speaker went somewhere with their older brother yesterday.
All of the speaker's siblings are university students.
The question is asking if 'she' has siblings.
Read this aloud:
私の兄弟はとても仲がいいです。
Focus: kyoudai (きょうだい)
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
あなたには兄弟がいますか？
Focus: anata (あなた)
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Read this aloud:
兄弟で旅行に行くのが好きです。
Focus: ryokou (りょこう)
Du hast gesagt:
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Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 彼女は二人の___がいます。
The sentence means 'She has two siblings.' 兄弟 (kyoudai) is the general term for siblings, often including both brothers and sisters.
Which of the following sentences correctly uses 兄弟?
兄弟 (kyoudai) refers to siblings. The sentence '私の兄弟はみんな医者です' means 'All my siblings are doctors,' which is a correct usage. The other options are nonsensical.
Select the best translation for: 'Do you have any siblings?'
兄弟 (kyoudai) directly translates to 'siblings'. '兄弟がいますか？' is the most natural way to ask 'Do you have any siblings?'
The word 兄弟 exclusively refers to male siblings.
While 兄弟 can specifically mean 'brothers', it is also commonly used as a general term for 'siblings', encompassing both brothers and sisters.
If someone says '私は兄弟が三人います', it always means they have three brothers.
This statement means 'I have three siblings'. It could be three brothers, three sisters, or a mix of both. 兄弟 is often used inclusively for siblings.
Using 兄弟 to refer to your younger sister is always incorrect.
While there are specific terms like 妹 (imouto) for younger sister, 兄弟 can be used as a collective term for siblings, including younger sisters, especially when not specifying gender.
This sentence means 'They grew up like siblings.' The particles and verb endings are standard.
This sentence translates to 'I grew up in a large family with many siblings.' The 'ga' particle marks 'kyoudai' as the subject of 'ooi'.
This sentence means 'Competition among siblings is a healthy thing.' 'Kan' (間) indicates 'between' or 'among'.
/ 48 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
兄弟 is a versatile word for siblings, usually understood to include both brothers and sisters.
- Use 兄弟 for 'siblings' in general.
- Literally means 'brothers' but includes sisters.
- Commonly used when talking about family members.
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