Several parts combine into one character.

姉 is a phono-semantic character with 女 (woman) for meaning. An elder female sibling, an elder sister, is its core sense. It pairs exactly with 妹 (younger sister) seen earlier — 姉 (elder sister), 妹 (younger sister).

The form splits: Japanese shinjitai (ja) is 姉, while China uses 姊 (zǐ) as both traditional and simplified. Korean and traditional-script contexts also often use 姊. The right-hand part differs between Japanese 姉 (resembling 市) and Chinese 姊.

Korean hanja-sound "ja": 姉妹 (jamae, sisters), 姉兄 (jahyeong, an elder sister's husband). In Korea the spelling 姊妹 (with 姊) is more common.

Mandarin: zǐ, 3rd tone. 姊妹 (zǐmèi, sisters), 姊姊 (zǐzǐ, elder sister — Taiwan / literary). In modern spoken Mainland Chinese "elder sister" is usually 姐姐 (jiějie); 姊 is mostly literary or Taiwanese.

Japanese: on-reading シ (shi), kun あね (ane). 姉 (ane, elder sister), 姉妹 (shimai, sisters), 姉さん (nēsan, elder sister — a special reading), 義姉 (gishi, sister-in-law). To address one's own elder sister in Japanese one says お姉さん (onēsan).

Memory aid: the elder among female (女) siblings — paired with 妹 (younger sister), the elder sister.