Definitions
(noun)
fork; branch; bifurcation
(noun)
girl
Etymology
Pictograph of a forked tree.
About
丫 is a pictograph depicting a forked branch, its two-stroke structure visually representing a central base splitting outward. From this literal image of a tree fork, its meaning broadened to describe any similarly bifurcated shape. Most prominently, it came to refer to young girls, originating from a historical hairstyle where hair was tied into two symmetrical buns atop the head, echoing the character's form. This shift is seen in the common compound "丫头" (yātou), meaning "girl" or "maid", moving its primary use from botany to people while retaining the logic of its original design.
Example Sentences Hide
那个丫头很聪明。
丫环在打扫房间。
树上的枝丫很多。
他的脚丫子很大。
小姑娘扎着丫髻。
这棵树的丫杈很奇特。
丫环们正在厨房里忙碌。
她小时候是个调皮的小丫头。