姐 meaning and stroke order
Older sister
How to write 姐, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 8
Meaning of 姐
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- older sister
How 姐 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Woman.
女 gives the meaning and 且 hints at the sound.
Radical: 女 (woman), shared by 156 characters on this site.
How to remember 姐
姐 combines 女 (woman) on the left with 且 (qiě) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture a woman standing beside a tall stack, the older sister who is a step above you.
姐 usually appears doubled as 姐姐 (jiějie) or in compounds like 姐妹 (jiěmèi) and 小姐 (xiǎojiě). People also add 姐 after a name or surname to address an older woman warmly, such as 王姐 (Wáng jiě). Example: 我姐姐是老师。 (Wǒ jiějie shì lǎoshī.) My older sister is a teacher.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 姐 (jiě, older sister) with 妹 (mèi, younger sister), since both have the 女 radical. Also remember that the second 姐 in 姐姐 is said in the neutral tone: jiějie, not jiějiě.
Common words with 姐
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 小姐 | xiǎojiě | young lady; miss | HSK 1 |
| 姐姐 | jiějie | older sister | HSK 1 |
| 姐妹 | jiěmèi | sisters; siblings | HSK 4 |
| 大姐 | dàjiě | big sister; elder sister | HSK 4 |
| 兄弟姐妹 | xiōngdìjiěmèi | brothers and sisters; siblings | |
| 姐夫 | jiěfu | (coll.) older sister's husband | |
| 表姐 | biǎojiě | older female cousin through a female relative | |
| 学姐 | xuéjiě | senior or older female schoolmate | |
| 空姐 | kōngjiě | abbr. for 空中小姐; stewardess | |
| 师姐 | shījiě | senior female fellow student or apprentice; daughter (older than oneself) of one's teacher | |
| 空中小姐 | kōngzhōngxiǎojiě | stewardess; air hostess |
姐 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 姐
How many strokes are in 姐?
姐 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 姐 mean?
姐 (jiě) means older sister. A common word with it is 小姐 (xiǎojiě), meaning "young lady; miss".
How do you pronounce 姐?
姐 is pronounced jiě, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 姐?
The radical of 姐 is 女, which carries the idea of "woman". Dictionaries list 姐 under this radical.
Is 姐 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 姐 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Is it rude to call a woman 小姐 in China?
In formal settings like letters or hotels, 小姐 (xiǎojiě) is a normal word for Miss. In some regions, though, it can carry a negative slang meaning, so many people prefer 美女 (měinǚ) or 服务员 (fúwùyuán) when calling a waitress.
What is the difference between 姐姐 and 大姐?
姐姐 (jiějie) is the everyday word for your own older sister. 大姐 (dàjiě) can mean the eldest sister, and it is also a friendly way to address a middle-aged woman you do not know.