Japanese kanji 妹: younger sister, readings and words

The idea

妹 has 8 strokes. Follow the linked stroke-order diagram. 妹 is read いもうと and means one’s younger sister; 妹さん is read いもうとさん and means someone’s younger sister. 姉妹 is read しまい: sisters.

Examples

• 妹いもうとは学生がくせいです。My younger sister is a student.
• 妹いもうとは毎朝まいあさコーヒーを飲のみます。My younger sister drinks coffee every morning.
• 妹いもうとは東京とうきょうに住すんでいます。My younger sister lives in Tokyo.
• 妹いもうとと公園こうえんへ行いきます。I go to the park with my younger sister.
• 妹いもうとは魚さかなが好すきです。My younger sister likes fish.
• 妹いもうとさんは学生がくせいですか。Is your younger sister a student?
• 姉妹しまいは二人ふたりとも学生がくせいです。Both sisters are students.

Watch out

Compare 妹 with 姉; notice their different parts and strokes rather than guessing from the overall shape. When speaking to someone outside your family, use 妹 for your own younger sister; 妹さん is a respectful way to refer to someone else’s younger sister.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 妹 in hiragana.

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   いもうと

   妹 is read いもうと; it means one’s younger sister. Remember the reading with the whole word.

2. Write the reading of 妹さん in hiragana.

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   いもうとさん

   妹さん is read いもうとさん; it means someone’s younger sister. Remember the reading with the whole word.

3. Write しまい in kanji for “sisters”.

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   姉妹

   姉妹 is written with 妹 and read しまい; it means sisters.

Use it today

Write 妹 three times using the linked stroke order. Cover the table, read 妹 and 妹さん, and make a sentence with one of them.