兄ちゃん
Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 5,000
Meanings
1
familiar language
Familiar, affectionate term for one's own older brother, similar to お兄ちゃん but more casual. Used within the family or when speaking about one's brother to close friends.
See also: お兄ちゃん
Big brother, can you help me with my homework?
My older brother is a university student now.
2
Informal, sometimes slightly rough way to address or refer to a young man, especially by an older person. Can sound friendly or condescending depending on tone. The reading あんちゃん is also used for this sense, often with a more rough or dialectal feel.
See also: お兄ちゃん
Hey, young man, can you tell me the way?
That lad is pretty good, isn't he?
Usage patterns
- ねえ、〈人〉、〈事〉hey, mister/young man, ...
Hey, mister, is this the right way?
- 〈人〉を兄ちゃんと呼ぶto call someone '兄ちゃん'
The children called the young man in the neighborhood 'nii-chan'.