Translation guide
In Japanese, there is no single, common word that directly translates to 'sibling' in everyday conversation. Instead, you refer to brothers and sisters by their relative age and gender, or use collective terms. The choice depends on formality and whether you are talking about your own siblings or someone else's.
You want to talk about your own brother(s) or sister(s) in a neutral or informal setting.
Your own older brother. Use this when speaking to someone outside your family. Within the family, you might use お兄ちゃん (onii-chan) or similar.
兄は大学生です。
My older brother is a college student.
Your own older sister. Same usage as 兄.
姉は医者です。
My older sister is a doctor.
Your own younger brother.
Your own younger sister.
Literally 'brothers', but often used to mean 'siblings' in general, especially when the gender mix is unknown or includes both. Can be used for your own siblings.
While common, 兄弟 can be ambiguous. If you need to specify sisters only, use 姉妹 (しまい).
You want to talk about the sibling(s) of a person outside your family, using polite language.
Polite term for someone else's older brother. Also used to address your own older brother politely in some families.
田中さんのお兄さんは弁護士だそうです。
I heard that Tanaka-san's older brother is a lawyer.
Polite term for someone else's older sister.
Polite term for someone else's younger brother.
弟さんはおいくつですか？
How old is your younger brother?
Polite term for someone else's younger sister.
Polite collective term for someone else's siblings.
ご兄弟は何人ですか？
How many siblings do you have?
You want to refer to the concept of siblings without specifying gender or age, often in formal or written contexts.
Formal term explicitly meaning 'brothers and sisters'. Used in official documents or when clarity is needed.
兄弟姉妹の有無を記入してください。
Please indicate whether you have siblings.
Literary or formal term for siblings, often used in the sense of 'fellow countrymen' as well. Rare in daily conversation.
You want to say how many siblings you have, or ask someone else.
Pattern: [number] + 人兄弟. Used to state the total number of siblings including yourself. Often used in self-introductions.
This pattern includes yourself in the count. If you have one brother and one sister, you would say 3人兄弟.
私は3人兄弟です。
I am one of three siblings.
彼は5人兄弟の末っ子です。
He is the youngest of five siblings.
兄弟 (きょうだい) is the general term for siblings and can include both brothers and sisters. 姉妹 (しまい) specifically means sisters. If you have only sisters, you can use 姉妹, but 兄弟 is still widely understood and used.
私は姉妹が二人います。
I have two sisters.
While 兄弟 is the closest general term, it can sound masculine or exclude sisters in some contexts. If you need to be explicitly inclusive, use 兄弟姉妹 or rephrase.
In Japanese, it's common to refer to your own siblings by name plus a title like お兄ちゃん or お姉ちゃん when speaking within the family. When speaking to outsiders, use the terms without honorifics (兄, 姉, etc.).
私の兄は私より年上です。
My sibling is older than me.
If the sibling is an older brother. Replace 兄 with 姉 for older sister.
My younger brother is a middle school student.
My younger sister is learning piano.
兄弟がいますか？
Do you have siblings?
私は兄弟が三人います。
I have three siblings.
鈴木さんのお姉さんに会いました。
I met Suzuki-san's older sister.
Is your younger sister a student?
彼らは同胞のように育った。
They grew up like siblings.