Japanese Conversation · Level 96
60 words
Japanese word
姪
Pronunciation
Romajimei
Meaning
- nounniece
Example
夏休みに姪と遊びます。natsu yasu mi ni mei to aso bi ma su
I play with my niece during summer vacation.
More examples
遠くに住む姪にも、毎月手紙を書いています。tō ku ni su mu mei ni mo mai tsuki te gami o ka i te i ma su
I also write to my niece who lives far away every month.
Core concept
Describes a family relationship in which a person's sibling has a daughter, regardless of age or closeness.
Common phrases
姪と遊ぶmei to aso bu
play with one's niece
姪を預かるmei o azu ka ru
look after one's niece
姪の成長mei no sei chō
one's niece's growth
Similar words
姪っ子meikko: An informal term for a sibling's daughter at any age.
姪御meigo: A polite term for a sibling's daughter at any age.
Definition in Japanese
兄弟姉妹の娘に当たる親族。kyō dai shi mai no musume ni a ta ru shin zoku
Word origin
The Japanese noun 姪 (mei, "niece") is a Sino-Japanese word formed from the single kanji 姪, whose established meaning is a sibling's daughter.
Usage tips
- Japanese distinguishes 姪 (mei) for a sibling's daughter from 甥 (oi, "nephew") for a sibling's son, while English uses niece and nephew.