姐 (jiě) - Older sister & a respectful term for a young woman

姐Tone 3

jiě ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 女

傑君

姐 · jiě

Older sister;

a respectful term for a young woman;

used in various kinship terms.

Older sistera respectful term for a young womanused in various kinship terms.

Usage highlights

Older sisterEldest sisterYoung lady/MissSistersSisterAunt

Synonyms

  • 姐姐— older sister
  • 姊— older sister (more formal/literary)
  • 大姐— eldest sister

Antonyms

  • 妹— younger sister
  • 兄— older brother
  • 弟— younger brother

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My older sister (姐姐) is very kind.
  • She is the eldest sister (大姐) in the family.
  • The young lady (小姐) works at the hotel.
  • We call our maternal aunt 姨妈 (mother's sister).

Collocations

  • Older sister(姐姐)
  • Eldest sister(大姐)
  • Young lady/Miss(小姐)
  • Sisters(姐妹)
  • Sister-in-law(姐夫's wife, but 姐 refers to the sister)
  • Aunt(姨妈, maternal aunt)

Idioms

  • Sisters are like flowers(姐妹花)
  • Brothers and sisters(兄弟姐妹)
  • Eldest sister's authority(长姐如母)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally denotes respect for elder female siblings in Chinese family hierarchy.
  • Used as a polite form of address for young women (小姐), though this usage has evolved and can be context-dependent.
  • Reflects the importance of age-based hierarchy in Chinese kinship terminology.

FAQ