義妹(ぎまい)

ぎまい
noun
younger sister-in-law
family
1. younger sister-in-law
A younger female relative by marriage: one's spouse's younger sister, or one's younger brother's wife.
義妹(ぎまい)は大学生(だいがくせい)だ。
My sister-in-law is a college student.
義妹(ぎまい)と一緒(いっしょ)に買(か)い物(もの)に行(い)った。
I went shopping together with my sister-in-law.
義妹(ぎまい)が来月(らいげつ)結婚(けっこん)することになった。
My sister-in-law is getting married next month.

義妹(ぎまい) uses the character 義(ぎ) meaning "in-law," indicating a relationship by marriage rather than blood. It can also mean a younger stepsister through a parent's remarriage (父(ちち)の再婚(さいこん)で義妹(ぎまい)ができた, "I got a stepsister when my father remarried") or a younger sworn sister, one bound by a pledge of sisterhood.

Related words

In conversation, speakers often say 旦那(だんな)の妹(いもうと) (husband's younger sister) or 嫁(よめ)の妹(いもうと) (wife's younger sister) to be specific about the relationship, since 義妹(ぎまい) can name more than one relationship.

Related Words

Related: 義兄(ぎけい) (brother-in-law (older))
Related: 義姉(ぎし) (sister-in-law (older))
Related: 義弟(ぎてい) (brother-in-law (younger))
Related: 義母(ぎぼ) (mother-in-law)
Related: 義父(ぎふ) (father-in-law)
general
Added 2026.3.22 9:38 · Revised 2026.10.7 9:26
18000/18404_gimai