Language/Japanese/Vocabulary/Family

Here are the family members in japanese.

Family is said : Kazoku 家族

Direct Relatives

This first table describes the members of your own family:

Male family members			Female family members
Grandfather	祖父	Sofu	Grandmother	祖母	Sobo
Father	父	Chichi	Mother	母	Haha
Uncle	叔父	Oji	Aunt	叔母	Oba
Husband	夫	Otto	Wife	妻	Tsuma
Older brother	兄	Ani	Older sister	姉	Ane
Younger brother	弟	Otouto	Younger sister	妹	Imouto
Son	息子	Musuko	Daughter	娘	Musume

Enlarged relatives

This table is made for talking about family of somebody else.

For example your wife's / husband's family.

Male family members			Female family members
Grandfather		Ojiisan	Grandmother		Obaasan
Father		Otousan	Mother		Okaasan
Uncle		Ojisan	Aunt		Obasan
Husband		Danna	Wife		Okusan
Older brother		Oniisan	Older sister		Oneesan
Younger brother		Otoutosan	Younger sister		Imoutosan
Son		Musukosan	Daughter		Musumesan

Kanjis are the same for both Own and other's family, that's why I didn't rewrite them in the second table.

About husband (your, her...), it is a little bit particular. Sometimes, you can find the for "Goshuujinsama".

This is old style using by female.

It includes a notion of "lord" or "master" so it it should be a little bit abrupt or shocking.

That's why younger women prefer to use "danna".

PRECISIONS

One particularity of japanese language is you'll not going to use the same vocabulary if you are talking your family or the one's other.

You also must pay attention to some words which has only one letter of difference. For example Obaasan and obasan.

Sometimes also, you simply add the suffix -san to talk someone's other relative.

Example : Musume : MY daughter // Musume-SAN : YOUR daughter

There is also some kanji combination to express relation between people.

If you want to indicate the sister is older and the brother is younger you just have to associate the right kanji 弟姉 on the right order and it's going well.

Authors

BriceJ