Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
姐jiě(jie3)
The character 姐 (jiě) refers to an older sister or an elder female sibling. It is often used in familial contexts but can also be employed in addressing young ladies or women in a respectful manner, especially in informal settings.
Strokes8Radical女Frequency#5910DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the relationship with siblings, especially older sisters, is often regarded with respect and affection. Older sisters may take on a nurturing role within the family, which is culturally significant in maintaining familial harmony.
Memory Tip
Imagine an older sister (姐) wearing a beautiful dress that has the shape of the character's components, with the left side resembling a woman (女) and the right side a bridge (家), symbolizing her role in guiding and connecting family members. Remember the pronunciation 'jiě' as she calls you over to join her.
Meanings of 姐
jiě(jie3)
1older sister
2elder sister; miss, young lady
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 姐
姐Simplified
8Strokes
女Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#5910Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1TOCFLL1
Podcast: 姐
Podcast: 姐
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 姐
Quick Contrast
姐姐 (jiějie) vs 姐妹 (jiěmèi) — use 姐 when specifically referring to an older sister, while 姐妹 refers to sisters in general or female friends.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of using 姐 in the right context, as it is informal and familiar. It is common to see it in phrases like 姐姐 (jiějie) for 'older sister.' A common mistake is to confuse it with 妹 (mèi), which means younger sister.
HSK Study Tips
While 姐 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it relates to other family terms like 哥 (gē, older brother) and 妹 (mèi, younger sister). Focus on pronunciation and practice using it in sentences about family.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 姐 to refer to younger sisters or to address strangers formally. For example, saying '姐' when speaking to a younger sister instead of '妹' is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 姐
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 姐 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 且 represents the sound.
1The meaning half女 carries the sense.
2The sound half且 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywoman
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 姐? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 姐?
Decomposition of 姐
IDS Structure⿰女且
姐Full Character
=
女nü3
left
且qie3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 姐?
How to say older sister in Chinese
“older sister” in Chinese is姐jiě
The character 姐 (jiě) refers to an older sister or an elder female sibling. It is often used in familial contexts but can also be employed in addressing young ladies or women in a respectful manner, especially in informal settings.
When to use 姐
Be mindful of using 姐 in the right context, as it is informal and familiar. It is common to see it in phrases like 姐姐 (jiějie) for 'older sister.' A common mistake is to confuse it with 妹 (mèi), which means younger sister.
姐 or something close to it
姐姐 (jiějie) vs 姐妹 (jiěmèi) — use 姐 when specifically referring to an older sister, while 姐妹 refers to sisters in general or female friends.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 姐 to refer to younger sisters or to address strangers formally. For example, saying '姐' when speaking to a younger sister instead of '妹' is incorrect.
Write 姐
姐
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 姐 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 姐
姐 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). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
