‘Ā mèi’ is an affectionate, informal term for ‘little sister’, commonly used in southern China and among several ethnic minority groups—especially the Zhuang, Yao, and Miao peoples—as a warm, familiar way to address or refer to a younger female sibling or sometimes even a close young female friend. The character 阿 (ā) is a prefix used before names or kinship terms to convey intimacy or endearment, while 妹 (mèi) means ‘younger sister’. Together, they form a compound that emphasizes closeness rather than strict biological relation.

This term carries regional and cultural resonance: it’s especially frequent in oral speech, folk songs, and local media from Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou provinces. Unlike the standard term 妹妹 (mèimei), 阿妹 feels more rustic, poetic, or culturally grounded—and is rarely used in formal writing or northern Mandarin contexts. It may also appear in titles of songs or stories evoking ethnic identity or rural life.