義姉(ぎし)

ぎし
noun
older sister-in-law
formalfamily
See also: 技師(ぎし) (engineer (homophone))
1. older sister-in-law
An older female relative by marriage: one's spouse's older sister, or one's older brother's wife. A formal term used in legal and written contexts.
義姉(ぎし)は東京(とうきょう)に住(す)んでいる。
My sister-in-law lives in Tokyo.
義姉(ぎし)とは結婚(けっこん)以来(いらい)ずっと仲(なか)がいい。
I've been on good terms with my sister-in-law ever since we married.
義姉(ぎし)が出産(しゅっさん)したので、お祝(いわ)いを贈(おく)った。
My sister-in-law gave birth, so I sent a gift to celebrate.

Usage

義姉(ぎし) is the formal/written form. In speech, 義理(ぎり)の姉(あね) or お義姉(ねえ)さん are more natural. The character 義(ぎ) indicates a relationship through marriage rather than blood. In casual speech, people may say お義姉(ねえ)さん to address their sister-in-law directly.

義姉(ぎし) can also mean an older stepsister (through a parent's remarriage) or an older sworn sister, one bound by a pledge of sisterhood.

Related words

Related Words

Homophone: 技師(ぎし) (engineer)
Related: 義兄(ぎけい) (brother-in-law (older))
Related: 義妹(ぎまい) (younger sister-in-law)
Related: 義弟(ぎてい) (younger brother-in-law)
Related: 兄嫁(あによめ) (older brother's wife)
Related: 義母(ぎぼ) (mother-in-law)
Related: 義父(ぎふ) (father-in-law)
general
Added 2026.3.19 13:26 · Revised 2026.10.7 9:26
17500/17835_gishi