妹 means “younger sister”
いもうと · imouto
- Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
- いもうと
- On'yomi (Chinese reading)
- マイ
JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 2 · 8 strokes
The story
Woman (女) who has not yet (未) fully bloomed: the younger sister is potential still unfolding. In Japanese literature, the 妹 is often portrayed with a mix of tenderness and spirited independence, the family's youngest flower.
Used in 姉妹 (shimai, sisters) and 義妹 (gimai, sister-in-law)
Where it comes from
Phonetic-Semantic (形声文字): Woman who has not yet bloomed.
Combines the woman radical (女) with "not yet" (未). The younger sister is the woman who hasn't yet fully blossomed: still growing, still becoming. A gentle metaphor for youth and potential.
To remember it: A woman (女) who has not yet (未) come of age: the younger sister!
Words with 妹
- 姉妹 (しまい, shimai): sisters
- 姉妹 (しまい, shimai): sisters
Example sentences
- 妹は高校生です。 My younger sister is a high school student.
- 姉妹でケーキを作りました。 The sisters made a cake together.
Kanji that look like 妹
- 姉 (older sister): 妹 has 未 (not yet): the one who hasn't fully grown; 姉 has 市 (city): the mature, worldly one
More from Family & Home
- 夫 husband
- 妻 wife
- 孫 grandchild
- 婚 marriage
- 育 raise
- 戸 door
- 寝 sleep
- 窓 window
- 屋 roof
- 床 floor
- 壁 wall
- 畳 tatami mat
Learn 妹 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji
Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.