Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

次男 (じなん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

次じ男なん

じ

な

ん

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun

Refers to the second-born son in a family. Used in formal and informal contexts, often when discussing family composition or birth order.

彼かれは次じ男なんで、兄あにと妹いもうとがいます。
He is the second son and has an older brother and a younger sister.
次じ男なんが生うまれたとき、家か族ぞくはとても

喜よろこ

ん

だ

。

When the second son was born, the family was overjoyed.

Written forms

次じ男なんUsage85%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common way to write 'second son'.
二じ男なんUsage15%
Less common variant; also read じなん, but 次男 is preferred.

Kanji

次next, order, sequence
男male
二two, two radical (no. 7)

Similar words

長ちょう男なん
Refers to the eldest son, in contrast to 次男 which is the second son.
三さん男なん
Refers to the third son, following 次男 in birth order.

Etymology

Compound of 次 (ji, 'next') and 男 (nan, 'male, son'). The reading じなん is a regular on'yomi combination.