いとこ

• Reading: いとこ
• Romaji: itoko
• Kanji breakdown: 従 (jū) — follow; 姉 (shi/ane) — older sister; 妹 (mai/imōto) — younger sister
• Pronunciation: /i.to.ko/

Meaning

Cousin (female). A child of one's uncle or aunt, specifically a female cousin.

A noun for a female cousin, formally written as 従姉妹 in kanji. Like the male equivalent, いとこ is almost always written in hiragana in modern Japanese. The kanji 従姉妹 uses 姉 (older sister) and 妹 (younger sister) to specify a female cousin. In practice, Japanese speakers rarely distinguish between male and female cousins in conversation, simply using いとこ for both.

Examples

1. いとこが来月結婚することになった。 My cousin is getting married next month.
2. 小さいころ、いとこと毎日遊んでいた。 When I was little, I used to play with my cousin every day.
3. いとこに赤ちゃんが生まれたのでお祝いを贈った。 My cousin had a baby, so I sent a gift.

Usage Guide

Context: family, daily conversation, celebrations

Tone: casual

Origin & History

The kanji 従姉妹 is composed of 従 (follow, accompany), 姉 (older sister), and 妹 (younger sister), specifying a female relative of the same generation.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal