義 兄 弟(ぎきょうだい)

ぎきょうだい

noun

brothers-in-law; stepbrothers; sworn brothers

1. brothers-in-law; stepbrothers

Brothers related by marriage (a spouse's brother or a sibling's husband) or by a parent's remarriage, rather than by blood.

彼(かれ)は私(わたし)の義兄弟(ぎきょうだい)です。

He is my brother-in-law.

母(はは)の再婚(さいこん)で、義兄弟(ぎきょうだい)ができた。

I got a stepbrother through my mother's remarriage.

義兄弟(ぎきょうだい)とはいえ、実(じつ)の兄弟(きょうだい)のように仲(なか)が良(よ)い。

Even though they are stepbrothers, they get along as if they were real siblings.

2. sworn brothers; blood brothers

Men who have formed a bond of brotherhood through an oath or ceremony, though not biologically related. A concept common in historical and fictional contexts.

二人(ふたり)は義兄弟(ぎきょうだい)の契(ちぎ)りを結(むす)んだ。

The two swore an oath of brotherhood.

三国志(さんごくし)では、劉備(りゅうび)・関羽(かんう)・張飛(ちょうひ)が義兄弟(ぎきょうだい)となった場面(ばめん)が有名(ゆうめい)だ。

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the scene where Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei became sworn brothers is famous.

彼(かれ)らは義兄弟(ぎきょうだい)として生涯(しょうがい)助(たす)け合(あ)うことを誓(ちか)った。

They pledged as sworn brothers to help each other for life.

Usage

義兄弟(ぎきょうだい) covers several types of non-blood brotherhood. In modern usage, it most commonly refers to brothers-in-law or stepbrothers. In historical and literary contexts, it refers to sworn brotherhood.

Related words

義兄(ぎけい) (brother-in-law, older)
義弟(ぎてい) (brother-in-law, younger)
義姉妹(ぎしまい) (sisters-in-law / stepsisters)
兄弟(きょうだい) (siblings, biological brothers)

PREFIX 義(ぎ):
The prefix 義(ぎ) marks family relationships formed through marriage or legal arrangement rather than by blood: 義父(ぎふ) (father-in-law), 義母(ぎぼ) (mother-in-law), 義理(ぎり)の息子(むすこ) (son-in-law).

Related Words

Related: 義弟(ぎてい) (brother-in-law, younger)

general

Added 2026.3.6 17:54 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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