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兄妹 (けいまい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
older brother and younger sister
Specifically refers to a sibling pair consisting of an older brother and a younger sister. Not used for other sibling combinations.
Written forms 兄妹
けいまい
Standard kanji spelling for 'older brother and younger sister'. The reading きょうだい is a gikun/jukujikun reading.
きょうだい gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Gikun (meaning-based) reading. Used in some contexts, but けいまい is the standard reading for this kanji compound.
きょうだい
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
い
物もの
に
行い
っ
た
。
The older brother and younger sister went shopping together.
elder brother, big brother
Similar words 兄きょう 弟だい 兄弟 is the general term for 'siblings' or specifically 'brothers'. 兄妹 specifically means 'older brother and younger sister'.
姉し 弟てい 姉弟 means 'older sister and younger brother', the opposite pairing of 兄妹.
姉し 妹まい 姉妹 means 'sisters'. 兄妹 is only for a brother-sister pair with the brother being older.
Etymology Compound of 兄 (older brother) and 妹 (younger sister). The reading けいまい is the standard on'yomi reading. The reading きょうだい is a jukujikun (special kanji reading) based on the meaning of 'siblings'.