姉
姉·older sister
- On-yomi
- シ
- Kun-yomi
- あね
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 姉 | あね | older sister (one's own) |
| お姉さん | おねえさん | older sister (polite) |
| 姉妹 | しまい | sisters |
| 義姉 | ぎし | sister-in-law |
Example sentences
姉は東京に住んでいます。
あねはとうきょうにすんでいます。
My older sister lives in Tokyo.
お姉さんによろしく伝えてください。
おねえさんによろしくつたえてください。
Please say hello to your older sister for me.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading お姉さん as *おあねさん instead of おねえさん
- Using お姉さん for your own sister when speaking to outsiders — use 姉
Memory aid
Picture it
A woman (女) at the market (市) — the big sister sent to do the shopping.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5
What does the kanji 姉 mean?