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姉

姉 — elder sister

Learn the correct stroke order for 姉 (elder sister), a 8-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 28 strokes

Stroke Order

12345678
Stroke 0 / 8
On'yomi (音読み)シshi
Kun'yomi (訓読み)あねane、ははhaha
Strokes8
Radical女
Frequency#1473
Meaningselder sister

Step-by-Step Diagram

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Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 8 — start from the green dot

Common Words

義姉ぎしsister-in-law (spouse's older sister or older brother's wife)noun
姉妹しまいsistersnoun
姉あねolder sister; elder sisternoun
姉さんねえさんolder sister; elder sisternoun
従姉妹いとこcousin (female)noun
お姉さんおねえさんolder sister; elder sisternoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 姉 (elder sister) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 8 strokes with radical 女.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 姉 is #1473, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

義姉ぎし — sister-in-law (spouse's older sister or older brother's wife)
姉妹しまい — sisters
姉あね — older sister; elder sister

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (女)

女woman奴guy好fond如likeness妃queen妄delusion妥gentle妙exquisite

Same reading

自oneself思think使use死death私private始commence止stop試test

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 姉 have?

The kanji 姉 (elder sister) has 8 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 姉?

姉 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 姉 mean?

姉 means: elder sister. On'yomi readings: シ. Kun'yomi readings: あね, はは.

What JLPT level is 姉?

姉 is a JLPT N4 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.