姉妹

See also: 姊妹 and 姐妹

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
姉	妹
し Grade: 2	まい Grade: 2
goon

From 姉 (shi, “elder sister”) +‎ 妹 (mai, “younger sister”), from Chinese 姊妹.

Pronunciation

• • Homophone: 仕舞

Noun

姉(し)妹(まい) • (shimai) 

1. (collective) sisters
   • 1999 August 26, “ヂェミナイ・エルフ [Jemini Elves]”, in BOOSTER 4, Konami:

     交(こう)互(ご)に攻(こう)撃(げき)を仕(し)掛(か)けてくる、エルフの双(ふた)子(ご)姉(し)妹(まい)。

     Kōgo ni kōgeki o shikaketekuru, erufu no futago shimai.

     Elvish twin sisters who attack simultaneously.

   • 2016 July 22, “悪(あく)夢(む)の声(こえ)、ブリセラ [Brisela, Voice of Nightmares]”, in 異界月 [Eldritch Moon], Wizards of the Coast:

     姉(し)妹(まい)のなれの果(は)てを知(し)ったシガルダは、ただ咽(むせ)び泣(な)くことしかできなかった。

     Shimai no narenohate o shitta Shigaruda wa, tada musebinaku koto shika dekinakatta.

     Upon discovering what had become of her sisters, Sigarda could only weep.

2. (attributive, business) the status of being a sister

   姉(し)妹(まい)誌(し)

   shimaishi

   sister magazine

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
姉	妹
Grade: 2	Grade: 2
irregular

Jukujikun (熟字訓).

Noun

姉妹(きょうだい) • (kyōdai) ^{←きやうだい (kyaudai)?}

1. (rare) Alternative spelling of 兄弟 (“siblings”, literally “brothers”) (sisters)

Usage notes

Generally used to specifically refer to an elder sister and a younger sister, while utilizing the more common kyōdai reading to express the siblings sense.

See also

• 義(ぎ)姉(し)妹(まい) (gishimai), 義(ぎ)姉妹(きょうだい) (gikyōdai)
• 乳(ち)姉妹(きょうだい) (chikyōdai, “foster sisters”)
• 従姉妹(いとこ) (itoko)
• 十(じゅう)姉(し)妹(まつ) (jūshimatsu)
• 姉(し)弟(てい) (shitei)
• 兄(けい)妹(まい) (keimai)
• 弟(てい)妹(まい) (teimai)

References

• 2000, Jonathan Bunt, Gillian Hall, The Oxford Starter Japanese Dictionary, First Edition, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN