1.
siblings; brothers and sisters
A gender-inclusive term for all siblings. Used in formal and official contexts to explicitly include both male and female siblings, unlike the more common 兄弟 which can be ambiguous.
兄弟姉妹は何人いますか。
How many siblings do you have?
兄弟姉妹全員が集まるのは久しぶりだ。
It's been a long time since all of us siblings got together.
申込書の家族構成の欄に兄弟姉妹の人数を記入してください。
Please enter the number of siblings in the family composition section of the application form.
USAGE: 兄弟姉妹 is the explicitly gender-inclusive term for siblings, combining 兄弟 (brothers) and 姉妹 (sisters). It is commonly used on official forms and in formal writing.
In everyday speech, 兄弟 alone is often used as a gender-neutral term for siblings regardless of sex, but 兄弟姉妹 is preferred in official and precise contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 兄弟姉妹の人数: number of siblings
- 兄弟姉妹間: between siblings
- 兄弟姉妹全員: all siblings