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お義兄さん (おにいさん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

お義に兄いさん

お

に

い

さ

ん

Meanings

1

noun

brother-in-law (older)

Refers to one's spouse's older brother or the husband of one's older sister. A respectful term used when addressing or referring to him.

お義兄にいさんは来らい月げつ結けっ婚こんするそうです。
I heard my brother-in-law is getting married next month.
お義兄にいさんに子こ供どもの面めん倒どうを見みてもらいました。
I had my brother-in-law look after the children.

2

Written forms

お義に兄いさん
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Standard respectful term for an older brother-in-law or older stepbrother. The kanji 義兄 explicitly marks the 'in-law' or 'step' relationship.
お兄にいさん
Commonly used in practice when the in-law/step relationship is clear from context, but can also mean one's own older brother. Use お義兄さん for disambiguation.

Kanji

義righteousness, justice, morality
兄elder brother, big brother

noun

older stepbrother

Used for an older stepbrother (a brother through remarriage of a parent). The same respectful term applies.

新あたらしいお義兄にいさんはとても優やさしいです。
My new older stepbrother is very kind.

Similar words

義ぎ兄けい
More formal and written-style term for brother-in-law (older). お義兄さん is the polite, everyday address form.
お兄にいさん
Can mean one's own older brother or a young man in general. お義兄さん specifically indicates an in-law or step relationship.

Etymology

Polite prefix お + 義兄 (ぎけい, 'brother-in-law') + honorific suffix さん. The reading おにいさん is a gikun (meaning-based reading) applied to the kanji 義兄.