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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
By ear
Play it, then pick what 姐 means.
About 姐
姐Simplified
8Strokes
女Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#5910Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1TOCFLL1
Podcast: 姐
Podcast: 姐
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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
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How Well Do You Know 姐?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 姐 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.
姐 = 女 + 且. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 姐
IDS Structure⿰女且
姐Full Character
=
女nü3
left
且qie3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part 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
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Practice writing 姐 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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.
