Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 姐姐 | jiějie |
| 姊姊 | zǐzǐ |
The primary term for an older sister is 姐姐. It is the most commonly used term and is suitable for any context.
Which one should you use?
While 姐姐 is the standard term used in daily life, 姊姊 is a more formal or literary version that is less common in spoken Mandarin. Additionally, informal variations like 老姐 or 阿姐 may be used depending on the social setting and region.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
姐姐 is the standard term appropriate for most situations. 姊姊 is a more formal or literary form, while 老姐 and 阿姐 are informal terms used in casual conversation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern China, it is common to use the informal term 阿姐 to refer to an older sister.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use 姐姐 as a title or to address someone directly, the second character is often neutralized in tone, sounding like a light, unstressed syllable.
How do you pronounce it?
jiějie
When do people say it?
In many Chinese-speaking social contexts, calling a woman slightly older than you 姐姐 is a way to show politeness and friendliness without being overly formal.
Did you know?
- The term '姐姐' can sometimes be used by men to address women they are flirting with or to show a sense of protective closeness, depending on the local dialect and social nuance.
- In modern internet slang, calling someone '姐姐' can sometimes be a way to praise a woman for being sophisticated, mature, or 'cool' in a certain aesthetic way.
- When addressing an older sister, the repetition of the character in 姐姐 is a common feature of Chinese kinship terms called reduplication, which adds a sense of warmth.
Examples in context
- 我想見你姐姐。I'd like to meet your older sister.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to meet someone's 姐姐.Tatoeba #1525706 by egg0073, translation #997875 by CK
- 我想認識你姐姐。I want to meet your older sister.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to get to know someone's 姐姐.Tatoeba #1525713 by egg0073, translation #1526456 by pauldhunt
- 她是Tom的姐姐。She's Tom's older sister.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as Tom's 姐姐.Tatoeba #1523967 by egg0073, translation #1523978 by CK
- 你的姐姐今年多大了？How old is your older sister?
- 我的姐姐今年三十岁了。My older sister is thirty years old.
- 老姐，我有个问题想问你。Sister, I have a question to ask you.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a cafe, Zi Han is talking about her family.
- 梓涵 Zihan我姐姐很漂亮。Wǒ jiějie hěn piàoliang.My older sister is very beautiful.
- 志强 Zhiqiang妳姐姐在哪裡工作？Nǐ jiějie zài nǎlǐ gōngzuò?Where does your older sister work?
- 梓涵 Zihan她在醫院工作。Tā zài yīyuàn gōngzuò.She works at a hospital.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那很厲害。Nà hěn lìhai.That is impressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “older sister” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
