ABSTRACT Numerous studies have explored the multifaceted portrayal of Chinese women, yet limited attention has been given to older sisters, specifically “zhangjie (长姐),” both in social and academic contexts. This study employs intersectionality as a theoretical framework within which a three-dimensional model of critical discourse analysis (CDA) is used to decode the representation of zhangjie identity in the recent Chinese blockbuster Sister. By closely examining both verbal and nonverbal elements, the study aims to elucidate the triple set of jeopardy that zhangjie encounter, as well as their resistance to three layers of deprivileged identities (in relation to gender, class and social infrastructures) in contemporary China. Furthermore, we argue that centralising the intersectional predicaments of Chinese older sisters highlights critical questions about the effectiveness of neoliberalism in the face of structural oppressions.