Japanese word

姉さん

Pronunciation

Romajinēsan

Meaning

  • nounolder sister

Example

姉さんは料理が上手です。nē sa n wa ryō ri ga jō zu de su

My older sister is good at cooking.

Illustration for 姉さん (older sister)

More examples

姉さん、この写真を見てください。nē sa n ko no sha shin o mi te ku da sa i

Sis, please look at this photo.

Core concept

姉さん (nēsan) centers on an older female sibling regarded as a familiar and respected member of the family.

Common phrases

  • 姉さんの部屋nē sa n no heya

    one's older sister's room

  • 姉さんを待つnē sa n o ma tsu

    wait for one's older sister

Similar words

姉ane: A neutral term for an older female sibling when referring to her.
お姉さんonēsan: A polite term for an older female sibling when referring to her.
お姉ちゃんoanechan: A familiar term for an older female sibling, often used by younger children.

Definition in Japanese

自分より年上の女のきょうだい。ji bun yo ri toshi ue no onna no kyō da i

Word origin

姉さん (nēsan) combines 姉 (nē, "older sister") with さん (san, an honorific suffix), giving the family term a familiar but respectful form.

Usage tips

  • In family conversation, 姉さん (nēsan) can be used as a direct form of address, while 姉 (ane) is more neutral when referring to an older sister.

Opposites

Word lists with this word