About
牝 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic radical 牛 (bovine) indicates the category of livestock, while the phonetic component 匕 provides the sound. Originally referring specifically to a female cow, its meaning generalized to denote the female of any bird or beast. In philosophical texts like the Dao De Jing, it extended to symbolize feminine energy, receptivity, or the valley principle. The character's structure reflects ancient agricultural observation of animal gender.
Etymology Hide
