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娣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
娣dìyounger sister; younger brother's wifeg, 10 strokes, radical 女, rank #65737, Very Hard
娣dìwife of a younger brotherunknown, 10 strokes, radical 女, rank #65737, Very Hard
dì(di4) T4
  1. 1younger sister; younger brother's wife
  2. 2wife of a younger brother
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

娣dì(di4)

The character 娣 (dì) refers to a younger sister or the wife of a younger brother. It is used in familial contexts, particularly in traditional family structures, and carries a sense of affection and respect towards younger female relatives.

Strokes10Radical女Frequency#65737DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, familial hierarchies are significant, and the term 娣 reflects the importance placed on relationships within the family, particularly among siblings and their spouses.

Memory Tip

Imagine a younger sister (娣) who is always dressed up in a beautiful dress (the radical 女 means 'woman'). Picture her inviting you to a family gathering where her husband (the younger brother) is present, helping you remember both the character's form and pronunciation.

Meanings of 娣

dì(di4)
1younger sister; younger brother's wife
2wife of a younger brother
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 娣

娣Simplified
10Strokes
女Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 娣

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Podcast: 娣

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AI Study Notes for 娣

Usage Notes

This character is primarily used in formal or literary contexts and may not be common in everyday conversation. Avoid confusing 娣 with similar characters like 妹 (mèi), which also means younger sister but is more widely used. Pay attention to the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 娣 is not included in the HSK levels, it is beneficial for learners studying family-related vocabulary. Focus on recognizing familial terms and their specific contexts, as they often appear in traditional texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 娣 with 妹 when trying to refer to a younger sister. For example, saying '我有一个娣' (I have a younger sister) is incorrect; instead, it should be '我有一个妹妹'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 娣

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Etymology of 娣

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 弟 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)弟
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 娣

Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 弟 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half女 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half弟 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywoman
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 娣? 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 娣?

Decomposition of 娣

IDS Structure⿰女弟
娣Full Character
=
女nü3
left
弟di4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 娣?

How to say younger sister; younger brother's wife in Chinese

“younger sister; younger brother's wife” in Chinese is娣dì

The character 娣 (dì) refers to a younger sister or the wife of a younger brother. It is used in familial contexts, particularly in traditional family structures, and carries a sense of affection and respect towards younger female relatives.

When to use 娣

This character is primarily used in formal or literary contexts and may not be common in everyday conversation. Avoid confusing 娣 with similar characters like 妹 (mèi), which also means younger sister but is more widely used. Pay attention to the tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 娣 with 妹 when trying to refer to a younger sister. For example, saying '我有一个娣' (I have a younger sister) is incorrect; instead, it should be '我有一个妹妹'.

Write 娣

娣

Practice writing 娣 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 娣

Words Containing This Character1
娣dìwife of a younger brother
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 娣 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 娣

No, 娣 is more commonly found in literary contexts and might not be used frequently in everyday conversation.

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