Definitions

(dialect) child

Etymology phono-semantic

person

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 伢 incorporates the semantic radical for person alongside the component 牙, which denotes a tooth and provides phonetic cues, with its etymology pointing toward connotations of youth and childhood. This linkage likely stems from the symbolic connection between teething and early human development, leading to its historical use as a term for a young child in several Chinese dialects. Over time, while its fundamental meaning has persisted, its usage has largely remained confined to regional vernaculars without significant expansion into formal language, and its structural composition has seen no substantial modification from its original form.

Example Sentences Hide

在跑步。

Xiǎo yá zài pǎobù.

The kid is running.

那个很聪明。

Nàge yá hěn cōngmíng.

That kid is very smart.

妈妈喜欢这个

Māma xǐhuān zhège yá.

Mom likes this kid.

子们一起玩游戏。

Yázi men yīqǐ wán yóuxì.

The kids play games together.

这个乡下会唱歌。

Zhège xiāngxià yá huì chànggē.

This country kid can sing.

那个小的玩具坏了。

Nàge xiǎo yá de wánjù huài le.

That little kid's toy is broken.

们在教室里认真读书。

Yá men zài jiàoshì lǐ rènzhēn dúshū.

The kids are studying seriously in the classroom.

这个聪明的小很快解决了难题。

Zhège cōngmíng de xiǎo yá hěn kuài jiějué le nántí.

This clever little kid quickly solved the difficult problem.