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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#5910DifficultyHard
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
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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.
Memory Mnemonic
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.
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.
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.
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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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.
āi lǐ kè de jiě jiě zhēn hǎo， ， zì gào fèn yǒng bāng zhù shōu shí huā。
Eric's sister had nobly volunteered to help with the gardening.
8
我想文德尔小姐一切都好吧？
wǒ xiǎng wén dé ěr xiǎo jiě yī qiē dū hǎo bā？
Fraulein Wendel is well, I hope?
9
把这些衣服寄给我姐姐好 吗 ?
bǎ zhè xiē yī fú jì gěi wǒ jiě jiě hǎo?
Could you bundle these clothes off to my sister?
10
西德人喝葡萄酒，而他们东德的兄弟姐妹则喜欢喝杜松子酒。
xī dé rén hē pú táo jiǔ， ， ér tā mén dōng dé de xiōng dì jiě mèi zé xǐ huān hē dù sōng zǐ。
Whereas West Germans drink wine, their Eastern cousins prefer Schnapps.
Cultural Notes for 姐
🏮Cultural insight
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.
Word Family of 姐
Words Containing This Character18
小姐xiǎojiěmiss
姐姐jiějieolder sister
姐jiěolder sister
姐妹jiěmèisisters
大姐dàjiěbig sister
空姐abbr. for 空中小姐
姐夫(coll.) older sister's husband
表姐older female cousin via female line
师姐senior female fellow student or apprentice師姐
堂姐older female patrilineal cousin
空中小姐stewardess
表姐妹female cousins via female line
坐台小姐bar girl
表姐夫husband of older female cousin via female line
花大姐common word for ladybug, more formally 瓢虫
窑姐(dialect) prostitute窯姐
姨姐sister-in-law
姐丈brother-in-law
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 小姐 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 姐
姐 refers to an older sister while 妹 refers to a younger sister.
Yes, you can use 姐 informally to address female friends or peers in a friendly manner.
It is pronounced 'jiě', with a falling-rising tone.
