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姉妹 (しまい, shimai) Japanese meaning: sisters | Kotomora

姉し妹まい

also: きょうだい

し

ま

い

Common word›JLPTN3›Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

sisters

Refers to female siblings. Can be used for biological sisters or in a figurative sense for closely related organizations or things.

彼かの女じょには二人ふたりの姉し妹まいがいます。

She has two sisters.

この二ふたつの都と市しは姉し妹まい都と市しです。

These two cities are sister cities.

Usage patterns

〈数すう〉人にん姉し妹まいhaving ... sisters (stating how many sisters make up a family)
私わたしたちは三さん人にん姉し妹まいです。
We are three sisters.
姉し妹まいがいるto have sisters
私わたしには姉し妹まいがいません。
I don't have any sisters.
〈場ば所しょ〉と姉し妹まい都と市しになるto become sister cities with (a place)
京きょう都とはパリと姉し妹まい都と市しになっている。
Kyoto has become a sister city with Paris.

Kanji

姉elder sister
妹younger sister

Related words

兄きょう弟だいN5
兄弟 covers siblings of any gender (brothers, or brothers and sisters together), while 姉妹 refers specifically to sisters.
弟てい妹まい
姉妹 means sisters (of any relative age), whereas 弟妹 specifically denotes a younger brother and younger sister together.

Don't confuse with

姉あねN5
姉 names one specific older sister, whereas 姉妹 refers to the sister relationship as a whole (two or more sisters together).
妹いもうとN5
妹 names one specific younger sister, whereas 姉妹 refers to the collective sister relationship, not a single sibling.
兄けい妹まい
姉妹 means 'sisters' (both female), whereas 兄妹 always refers to a mixed brother-sister pair with the brother older.

Counted with

人にん
The everyday counter for people: 一人 (ひとり), 二人 (ふたり), 三人 (さんにん).
組くみN3
For sets, pairs, and groups — couples, siblings, matched tableware.

Word family· 15

姉し妹まい品ひん
sister product; related product
姉し妹まい愛あい
sisterly love; affection between sisters
姉し妹まい校こう
sister school
姉し妹まい編へん
companion volume; sister volume; sequel

Written forms

姉妹Usage100%
- しまい
  Standard kanji spelling for 'sisters'.
- きょうだい
  gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
きょうだい

Etymology

Compound of 姉 (older sister) and 妹 (younger sister), representing the sister relationship.

姉し妹まい群ぐん

sister group; sister taxon

Show 5 more

姉し妹まい船せん
sister ship
姉し妹まい艦かん
sister ship
姉し妹まい語ご
sister language; cognate language
姉し妹まい館かん
sister museum; sister building; sister pavilion
兄きょう弟だい姉し妹まい
brothers and sisters; siblings

See all 15 in Explore →

gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

Gikun reading; used in some contexts to refer to sisters, but しまい is the standard reading.