← Back

兄

elder brother
Stroke count: 5

Readings

On readingケイ、キョウ
Kun readingあに
JLPT level: N4JōyōGrade 2

Meanings

  1. elder brotherRtK
  2. big brother
  1. older brother
  2. brother-in-law (spouse's older brother or older sister's husband)

Synonyms

兄さん兄ちゃん兄貴弟義兄

Popular Usage

兄弟お兄さん従兄弟

Radicals and components

Radical儿legs
Components
How it's built
兄
  • →
  • →
    • →

Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

teenager · mouth (口) · human legs (儿)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 107

Compound words

兄弟きょうだい
brothers and sisters; siblings; half-siblings; step-siblings; siblings by marriage or adoption
お兄さんおにいさん
older brother; elder brother; young man; buddy; fella
従兄弟いとこ
cousin (male)
義兄ぎけい
brother-in-law (spouse's older brother or older sister's husband); older stepbrother
兄貴あにき
elder brother; one's senior; older man; man older than oneself
実兄じっけい
biological older brother
父兄ふけい
guardians; parents; father and older brother
兄さんにいさん
older brother; elder brother; brother (as older-brother figure in friendly and or work relationship); young man; buddy
兄ちゃんにいちゃん
(one's) older brother; young man; sonny; lad
家兄かけい
my older brother
雅兄がけい
you
兄嫁あによめ
elder brother's wife
兄姉けいし
older brother and older sister
兄矢はや
arrow with feathers that curve to the left (the first of two arrows to be fired)
兄鷂このり
musket (male Eurasian sparrowhawk)
慈兄じけい
affectionate elder brother
伯兄はっけい
the eldest son
ご兄弟ごきょうだい
siblings
兄弟愛きょうだいあい
brotherly love
兄弟子あにでし
senior pupil (of the same master)
兄弟分きょうだいぶん
sworn brother
御兄弟ごきょうだい
siblings
再従兄さいじゅうけい
elder second cousin
愚兄賢弟ぐけいけんてい
a foolish older brother and a smart younger

Kun Reading Examples

彼は背が高いが、兄はなお高い。あに
He is tall, but his brother is much taller.tatoeba
彼は太郎の兄です。あに
He is Taro's brother.tatoeba
彼は私の事を双子の兄と間違えた。あに
He took me for my twin brother.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は彼のお兄さんに劣らず賢い。
He is no less wise than his brother is.tatoeba
彼は背が高いが、兄はなお高い。
He is tall, but his brother is much taller.tatoeba
彼は庭の手入れをするのをお兄さんに手伝ってもらった。
He had his brother help him with the gardening.tatoeba
彼は太郎の兄です。
He is Taro's brother.tatoeba
兄弟に日野資名。
Sukena HINO was his brother.wiki
定頼とは兄弟か。
He could be Sadayori's brother.wiki

Stroke Order

5 strokes

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 兄

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step