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March 24, 2026
妹mèi(mei4)
The character 妹 (mèi) means 'younger sister' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to refer to a female sibling who is younger than the speaker or another referenced sibling. This term is often used in familial contexts and can also imply affection or care.
Strokes8Radical女Frequency#3266DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of family hierarchy is significant, and the terms for siblings reflect respect and care within the family structure. The use of 妹 can also indicate the familial duty of older siblings to care for their younger ones.
Memory Tip
Imagine a cute little girl (妹) holding a doll, representing a younger sister. The component 女 (nǚ) signifies 'female,' while the other part suggests youthfulness, helping you remember that 妹 refers specifically to a younger sister.
Meanings of 妹
mèi(mei4)
1younger sister
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 妹
妹Simplified
8Strokes
女Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#3266Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1TOCFLL1
Podcast: 妹
Podcast: 妹
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AI Study Notes for 妹
Quick Contrast
姐 (jiě) vs 妹 (mèi): use 妹 for 'younger sister' and 姐 for 'older sister'.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 妹 with 姐 (jiě), which means 'older sister.' Remember to use 妹 when referring to younger sisters only. In informal settings, it can also be used endearingly among friends to denote closeness.
HSK Study Tips
While 妹 is not an HSK vocabulary word, understanding it is beneficial for discussing family relationships, which is common in beginner conversations. Focus on how it relates to other family terms like 姐 (older sister) and 哥 (older brother) to build a solid vocabulary base.
Common Mistakes
Learners might mistakenly use 妹 to refer to older sisters, confusing it with 姐. Ensure you use 妹 only for younger sisters, for example, saying 妹 is incorrect when referring to an older sister.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 妹
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How Well Do You Know 妹?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 妹 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
妹 = 女 + 未. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 妹
IDS Structure⿰女未
妹Full Character
=
女nü3
left
未wei4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 妹?
How to say younger sister in Chinese
“younger sister” in Chinese is妹mèi
The character 妹 (mèi) means 'younger sister' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to refer to a female sibling who is younger than the speaker or another referenced sibling. This term is often used in familial contexts and can also imply affection or care.
When to use 妹
Learners often confuse 妹 with 姐 (jiě), which means 'older sister.' Remember to use 妹 when referring to younger sisters only. In informal settings, it can also be used endearingly among friends to denote closeness.
妹 or something close to it
姐 (jiě) vs 妹 (mèi): use 妹 for 'younger sister' and 姐 for 'older sister'.
What learners get wrong
Learners might mistakenly use 妹 to refer to older sisters, confusing it with 姐. Ensure you use 妹 only for younger sisters, for example, saying 妹 is incorrect when referring to an older sister.
Write 妹
妹
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Grammar Patterns of 妹
妹 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
