What do you call your father's brother, your cousin, or your spouse's sister in Japanese? Browse or search the full chart below.
Tap any relative in the tree below to see what they're called in Japanese, and what they'd call you back.
Grandparents
Parents & Their Siblings
Siblings & Cousins
Spouse & In-Laws
Children, Grandchildren & Their Spouses
Father's father
Ojii-san (お祖父さん)
Japanese doesn't distinguish paternal vs maternal grandparents in everyday speech.
Father's mother
Obaa-san (お祖母さん)
Mother's father
Ojii-san (お祖父さん)
Mother's mother
Obaa-san (お祖母さん)
Father
Otou-san (お父さん)
Mother
Okaa-san (お母さん)
Father's older brother
Oji-san (伯父さん)
Japanese distinguishes aunts/uncles by whether they're older or younger than your parent, not by which side of the family they're on.
Father's younger brother
Oji-san (叔父さん)
Father's sister
Oba-san (伯母さん/叔母さん)
Mother's older brother
Oji-san (伯父さん)
Mother's younger brother
Oji-san (叔父さん)
Mother's sister
Oba-san (伯母さん/叔母さん)
Father's older brother's wife
Oba-san (伯母さん)
Father's younger brother's wife
Oba-san (叔母さん)
Mother's brother's wife
Oba-san (伯母さん/叔母さん)
Father's sister's husband
Oji-san (伯父さん/叔父さん)
Mother's sister's husband
Oji-san (伯父さん/叔父さん)
Older brother
Onii-san (お兄さん)
Younger brother
Otouto (弟)
Older sister
Onee-san (お姉さん)
Younger sister
Imouto (妹)
Father's brother's son
Itoko (いとこ)
One gender-neutral word covers every kind of cousin, with no distinction by side of family, age or gender, unlike Chinese or the Indian languages here.
Father's brother's daughter
Itoko (いとこ)
Father's sister's son
Itoko (いとこ)
Father's sister's daughter
Itoko (いとこ)
Mother's brother's son
Itoko (いとこ)
Mother's brother's daughter
Itoko (いとこ)
Mother's sister's son
Itoko (いとこ)
Mother's sister's daughter
Itoko (いとこ)
Son
Musuko (息子)
Daughter
Musume (娘)
Grandson
Mago-musuko (孫息子)
'Mago' alone covers any grandchild.
Granddaughter
Mago-musume (孫娘)
Son-in-law
Muko (婿)
Daughter-in-law
Yome (嫁)
Brother's son
Oi (甥)
No distinction between a brother's or a sister's son.
Sister's son
Oi (甥)
Brother's daughter
Mei (姪)
Sister's daughter
Mei (姪)
Husband
Otto (夫)
Wife
Tsuma (妻)
Spouse's father
Gifu (義父)
Spouse's mother
Gibo (義母)
Husband's older brother
Gikei (義兄)
Japanese in-law terms for spouse's siblings and siblings' spouses share the same 義 (gi-, 'in-law') system, split only by relative age.
Husband's younger brother
Gitei (義弟)
Husband's sister
Gishi (義姉) / Gimai (義妹)
Wife's brother
Gikei (義兄) / Gitei (義弟)
Wife's sister
Gishi (義姉) / Gimai (義妹)
Brother's wife
Gishi (義姉, if older) / Gimai (義妹, if younger)
Sister's husband
Gikei (義兄, if older) / Gitei (義弟, if younger)
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These terms reflect commonly used Japanese family vocabulary. Usage can vary by region, dialect, or individual family custom.
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