長兄(ちょうけい)

ちょうけい
noun
eldest brother
formalfamily
1. eldest brother; oldest brother
The oldest male sibling in a family. A formal or literary term used when specifying birth order among brothers.
長兄(ちょうけい)は医者(いしゃ)だ。
My eldest brother is a doctor.
長兄(ちょうけい)が家業(かぎょう)を継(つ)いだ。
The eldest brother took over the family business.
三人(さんにん)兄弟(きょうだい)の長兄(ちょうけい)として、いつも弟(おとうと)たちの面倒(めんどう)を見(み)ていた。
As the eldest of three brothers, he always looked after his younger brothers.

A somewhat formal term. In everyday conversation, 一番上(いちばんうえ)の兄(あに) or simply 兄(あに) is more common. 長兄(ちょうけい) appears in written Japanese, biographical descriptions, and when explicitly distinguishing among multiple brothers.

Related family terms

  • 長姉(ちょうし) — eldest sister
  • 次兄(じけい) — second eldest brother
  • 末弟(まってい) — youngest brother
  • 長男(ちょうなん) — eldest son (emphasizes birth order among sons, not specifically 'brother')

Usage

In traditional Japanese families, the 長兄(ちょうけい) often had a special role as the expected heir to the family name and business.

Related Words

Related: 長男(ちょうなん) (eldest son)
general
Added 2026.3.27 9:17 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
19500/19797_choukei