亲姐妹 (qīn jiě mèi) — biological sisters; full sisters (same parents)

Definition

亲姐妹 means sisters who share both parents (full sisters), as opposed to half-sisters 异母/同父异母 or step-sisters. The bond implied is typically close and biological, not in-law or adoptive.

noun

biological sistersfull sisters (same parents)

Measure word · 个

Examples

亲姐妹，。
Tā men shì qīn jiě mèi, cóng xiǎo yì qǐ zhǎng dà.
They are biological sisters and grew up together.
亲姐妹。
Wǒ hé wǒ de qīn jiě mèi jīng cháng yì qǐ lǚ xíng.
My biological sisters and I often travel together.
亲姐妹。
qīn jiě mèi Zhī jiān de gǎn qíng hěn shēn.
The bond between biological sisters is very deep.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

亲qīnbiological

姐妹sisters

姐jiěelder sister妹mèiyounger sister

联合Coordinate

亲姐妹 means 姐 and 妹 who are closely related by blood.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 親; 亲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

見見jiànsee

Sound part声符shēngfú

辛

辛xīn親qīn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 親 uses 見 (see) for sense and 辛 (a chisel) for sound; the simplified 亲 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 亲 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

女且姐

Meaning part形符xíngfú

女女nǚwoman

Sound part声符shēngfú

且

且qiě姐jiě

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 女 part points to a woman, and 且 is a sound component.

Open 姐 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.