About
媾 is a phono-semantic compound combining 女 'woman' (semantic) with 冓, which provides the pronunciation gòu and also carries the meaning 'secret'. Together they suggest knowing a woman's secret. Historically, the character denoted formal marriages, marital alliances, and peace-making between families or states through a female relative, and by extension, the act of copulation.
Etymology Hide
Example Words
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.