弟

• Reading: おとうと
• Romaji: otouto
• Kanji breakdown: 弟 (otouto/tei/dai) — younger brother
• Pronunciation: /o.toː.to/

Meaning

Younger brother; little brother. The standard term for one's own younger brother.

Used when talking about your own younger brother to others. Unlike 兄/姉, younger siblings do not have a distinct honorific form — 弟さん is used politely for someone else's younger brother. In conversation, the age distinction between siblings is always specified in Japanese.

Examples

1. 弟は中学生です。 My younger brother is a middle school student.
2. 弟とゲームをして遊びます。 I play video games with my younger brother.
3. 弟は毎日サッカーを練習しています。 My younger brother practices soccer every day.

Usage Guide

Context: talking about family, self-introduction, daily conversation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 弟 originally depicted a thread wound around a spool, suggesting something that comes after — the younger sibling.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal