Japanese word

甥

Pronunciation

Romajioi

Meaning

  • nounnephew

Example

週末に甥と公園へ行きます。shū matsu ni oi to kō en e i ki ma su

I go to the park with my nephew on weekends.

Illustration for 甥 (nephew)

More examples

夏休みに甥と一緒に料理を作りました。natsu yasu mi ni oi to is sho ni ryō ri o tsuku ri ma shi ta

I cooked with my nephew during summer vacation.

Core concept

Refers to the son of one of the speaker's siblings, regardless of which sibling is the parent.

Common phrases

  • 甥と遊ぶoi to aso bu

    play with one's nephew

  • 甥の世話をするoi no se wa o su ru

    take care of one's nephew

  • 甥を迎えに行くoi o muka e ni i ku

    go pick up one's nephew

Similar words

甥っ子oikko: A familiar word for a nephew that can sound affectionate or child-oriented.

Definition in Japanese

兄弟または姉妹の男の子。kyō dai ma ta wa shi mai no otoko no ko

Word origin

The native Japanese word 甥 (oi) uses the kanji 甥, a Chinese character associated with the meaning "sister's son"; Japanese uses the word for a sibling's son.

Usage tips

  • In family conversation, 甥 (oi) can refer to a young boy or an adult man because the word describes a family relationship rather than an age.

Related words

  • 甥っ子oikkonephewnoun

Word lists with this word