Family members in Japanese
Family members in Japanese are called differently depending on whose family it is: about one's own family one speaks humbly (母 haha — my mom), about someone else's — politely (お母さん okaasan — your/someone's mom). Basic words: 父 chichi / お父さん otousan (dad), 兄 ani / お兄さん oniisan (older brother). The word for 'family' itself is 家族 kazoku. In Japanese Zen, family vocabulary is learned with audio.
In Japanese, family has two faces: one for one's own, humble, and another for others, respectful. 'My mother' sounds softer, 'your mother' sounds higher. The language teaches respect directly through relatives, even before you get to polite forms.
What are family members called?
| Who | Own family (humble) | Other's / polite |
|---|---|---|
| Mom | 母 haha | お母さん okaasan |
| Dad | 父 chichi | お父さん otousan |
| Older brother | 兄 ani | お兄さん oniisan |
| Older sister | 姉 ane | お姉さん oneesan |
| Younger brother | 弟 otouto | 弟さん otoutosan |
| Younger sister | 妹 imouto | 妹さん imoutosan |
Why are there two sets of words?
This is the division of 'in-group — out-group' (uchi and soto). About one's own family, one speaks with humble words (母, 父), and about someone else's — with polite words with the prefix お and the suffix さん (お母さん). In this way, the language expresses respect for the listener and humility toward oneself.
Why are there two different words for mom?
When talking to a stranger about one's own mother, one speaks humbly — 母 (haha); about someone else's, respectfully — お母さん (okaasan). The same applies to father, older brother, and sister: the set of words depends not on the relationship, but on whose family it is.
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Useful family words
- 家族 (kazoku) — family.
- 両親 (ryoushin) — parents.
- 祖父 (sofu) / 祖母 (sobo) — grandfather / grandmother (one's own); polite — おじいさん / おばあさん.
- 子供 (kodomo) — child; 息子 (musuko) — son, 娘 (musume) — daughter.
How family members address each other within the family
To older members, by role: お母さん, お兄ちゃん. To younger ones, by name, often with -chan. The words 妹 (younger sister) and 弟 (younger brother) are not used as forms of address; they are only for talking about a person.
FAQ
- Why does 'mom' in Japanese mean both 母 and お母さん?
- 母 (haha) is said about one's own mom humbly, お母さん (okaasan) — about someone else's politely or when addressing one's own directly. The choice depends on whose mom it is and to whom you are speaking.
- How do you say 'family' in Japanese?
- 家族 (kazoku) — family. For someone else's family, politely — ご家族 (go-kazoku).
- Are older and younger brothers/sisters distinguished?
- Yes, and it's important: 兄 (older brother) and 弟 (younger brother) are different words, as are 姉 (older sister) and 妹 (younger sister). Age is directly indicated in the word in Japanese.
- How do you address an older brother or sister?
- In the family, they are addressed as お兄さん (oniisan) and お姉さん (oneesan) — politely and warmly, even if they are your own relatives.
Updated: 2026-06-25