姉妹

See also: 姊妹 and 姐妹

Chinese

For pronunciation and definitions of 姉妹 – see 姊妹 (“elder sister and younger sister; sisters; sister; etc.”). (This term is a variant form of 姊妹).

Japanese

Etymology 1

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

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Man'yōshū of 759.^[1] In turn from Middle Chinese 姊妹 (MC tsiX mwojH, literally “older sister + younger sister”).

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) しまい [shíꜜmàì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2]^[3]^[4]
IPA^(key): [ɕima̠i]

Noun

姉(し)妹(まい) • (shimai)

sisters
Hypernym: 同胞 (dōhō, “sibling”)
- 1999 August 26, “ヂェミナイ・エルフ [Gemini 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.
(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
きょうだい
Grade: 2	Grade: 2
jukujikun

For pronunciation and definitions of 姉妹 – see the following entry.

【兄弟きょうだい】

[noun] 姉妹, 兄妹, 姉弟: (by extension) siblings in general

Alternative spellings
兄妹, 姉弟

(This term, 姉妹, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

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.

References

^ “姉妹”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

Korean

Hanja in this term
姉	妹

Noun

姉妹 • (jamae) (hangeul 자매)

hanja form^? of 자매 (“sister, sisters, female siblings”)

[KDJ2-1] “姉妹”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎^[1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006

[DJR-2] Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[SMK5-3] Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[NHK-4] NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

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[2]

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