Definitions
(noun)
used only in 旮旯 (corner; nook)
Etymology
About
A relatively modern character, 旮 pairs with 旯 (lá) to form the colloquial noun 旮旯 (gālá), which translates to a corner, nook, or confined, obscure space. Structurally, it consists of 九 (jiǔ, 'nine') placed above the sun radical 日 (rì). Rather than a standard phono-semantic compound, it is a visual reconfiguration of 旭 (xù, 'rising sun'): the components of 旭 are stacked vertically to form 旮, and swapping their order creates 旯. The character is used in spoken dialects and informal writing to refer to tight corners, small nooks, and remote, isolated rural areas.
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.