弟てい妹まい

also: きょうだい

て

い

ま

い

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

younger brother and sister

Refers to one's younger siblings collectively, specifically a younger brother and a younger sister. Not used for a single younger sibling.

彼かれは弟てい妹まいの面めん倒どうをよく見みる。
He takes good care of his younger brother and sister.
弟てい妹まいがいる人ひとは、小ちいさい頃ころから我が慢まん強づよくなる。
People who have younger siblings tend to become patient from a young age.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に弟てい妹まいがいるto have younger siblings (a younger brother and sister)
彼かの女じょには弟てい妹まいが二人ふたりいる。
She has two younger siblings, a brother and a sister.
弟てい妹まいの世せ話わをするto take care of one's younger siblings
母ははが働はたらいている間あいだ、兄あにが弟てい妹まいの世せ話わをする。
While their mother is at work, the older brother looks after his younger siblings.

Kanji

弟younger brother, faithful service to elders
妹younger sister

Related words

兄きょう弟だいN5
兄弟 broadly means siblings or brothers in general, while 弟妹 specifically refers to one's younger brother and younger sister as a pair.
姉し妹まいN3
姉妹 means sisters (of any relative age), whereas 弟妹 specifically denotes a younger brother and younger sister together.

Don't confuse with

兄けい妹まい
兄妹 means an older brother and younger sister, while 弟妹 means a younger brother and younger sister, so learners often mix up which sibling is older.
姉し弟てい
姉弟 refers to an older sister and younger brother, whereas 弟妹 refers to a younger brother and younger sister, making the two easy to confuse due to their similar kanji patterns.

Counted with

人にん
counter for people

Written forms

弟妹Usage100%
- ていまい
  Standard kanji spelling for 'younger brother and sister'.
- きょうだい
  gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
きょうだい
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Gikun reading; rare and context-dependent. Normally written 兄弟 or 姉妹.

Etymology

Compound of 弟 (younger brother) and 妹 (younger sister). The gikun reading きょうだい is a non-standard application of the common word for siblings.