Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
義兄弟 (ぎきょうだい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
brother-in-law ; stepbrother ; sworn brother
Refers to a brother-like relationship not based on blood: a spouse's brother, a stepbrother through a parent's remarriage, or a man bound by a sworn oath. The exact meaning depends on context.
さい
婚こん
で
、
新あたら
しい
義ぎ
兄きょう
弟だい
が
でき
た
。
Through my father's remarriage, I got a new stepbrother.
Kanji 義 righteousness, justice, morality 兄 elder brother, big brother 弟 younger brother, faithful service to elders Similar words 義ぎ 理り の 兄きょう 弟だい More explicitly refers to a brother-in-law through marriage, while 義兄弟 can also mean stepbrother or sworn brother.
兄きょう 弟だい Refers to blood brothers or siblings in general, without the 'non-blood' nuance of 義兄弟.
Etymology Compound of 義 (ぎ, 'non-blood, in-law, moral') and 兄弟 (きょうだい, 'brothers'). The exact derivation is straightforward, but the term's range of meanings reflects historical practices of adoption and sworn brotherhood.