KanjiSchool
妹
“younger sister” in Japanese is 妹, read mai, imouto (まい, いもうと). It is a Grade 2 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 2 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 姉妹 (sisters).
Try it now
What does 妹 mean?
Learn all 1,018 kanji with spaced-repetition review — free. Start free →
妹はまだ小さい。
いもうとはまだちいさい。My little sister is still small.
Get unlimited AI example sentences + native audio + saved progress. Start free →
Unlock guided stroke order, scoring and daily streaks. Start free →
Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 妹 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | younger sister |
| Readings | まい, いもうと |
| Grade | Grade 2 (Easy) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 姉妹 (sisters) |
How to read 妹
妹 is read mai (まい) or imouto (いもうと) depending on the word.
Words with 妹
- 姉妹
Learn 妹 in real sentences — free
Read stories and news built from only the kanji you already know. KanjiSchool’s path covers all 2,136 Jōyō kanji — 1,018 ready to learn now.
Start free — no credit card →
Kanji read the same way as 妹
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:
Updated: 2026-08-28