Archaic term for the eldest son, especially in a family or clan context.
See also: 長男
In old texts, 兄 can refer to the eldest son.
Archaic term for an older sibling, not gender-specific.
older person
Archaic term for an elder or senior person, not necessarily a relative.
head of a clan; head of a region
Only when written 氏上
Archaic term for a leader of a clan or region; often written as 氏上.
See also: 氏上
skilled craftsman
Archaic term for a master artisan or skilled worker.
このかみ meant older brother or older sister in old Japanese.
The older person in the village was respected by the young people.
氏上 is a term for the head of an ancient clan.
That sword was forged by a renowned skilled craftsman.
Modern standard term for eldest son, unlike the archaic このかみ.
Common modern reading for older brother, while このかみ is archaic.
solicitude befitting an older brother or elder
Standard kanji spelling for this archaic term.
Alternate kanji spelling, likely used historically.
Specific spelling for the clan/region head sense.
The historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling 兄 is conventionally associated with elder sibling meanings.