義 弟(ぎてい)

ぎてい

noun

younger brother-in-law

formalfamily

1. younger brother-in-law

A younger male relative by marriage: one's spouse's younger brother, or one's younger sister's husband.

義弟(ぎてい)は来年(らいねん)結婚(けっこん)する予定(よてい)だ。

My brother-in-law is planning to get married next year.

妻(つま)の弟(おとうと)、つまり私(わたし)の義弟(ぎてい)が海外(かいがい)から帰(かえ)ってきた。

My wife's younger brother, that is, my brother-in-law, came back from abroad.

義弟(ぎてい)とは年(とし)が近(ちか)いこともあり、実(じつ)の兄弟(きょうだい)のように仲(なか)がいい。

Since my brother-in-law and I are close in age, we get along like real brothers.

Usage

A formal term used primarily in writing, official documents, and when precise family relationships need to be specified. In everyday conversation, people more commonly say 妻(つま)の弟(おとうと) (my wife's younger brother) or 旦那(だんな)の弟(おとうと) (my husband's younger brother) to be clearer about the exact relationship.

Besides in-laws, 義弟(ぎてい) can also mean a younger stepbrother (through a parent's remarriage) or a younger sworn brother, one bound by a pledge of brotherhood (see 義兄弟(ぎきょうだい)).

Related words

The prefix 義(ぎ) ('righteous, adopted') marks in-law relationships (and also step and sworn ones):

義兄(ぎけい): older brother-in-law
義姉(ぎし): older sister-in-law
義妹(ぎまい): younger sister-in-law
義父(ぎふ): father-in-law
義母(ぎぼ): mother-in-law

Related Words

Related: 義兄(ぎけい) (brother-in-law (older))

Related: 義兄弟(ぎきょうだい) (brothers-in-law)

Related: 義母(ぎぼ) (mother-in-law)

Related: 義父(ぎふ) (father-in-law)

Related: 義姉(ぎし) (older sister-in-law)

Related: 義妹(ぎまい) (younger sister-in-law)

general

Added 2026.2.27 17:31 · Revised 2026.10.15 22:26

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