窕

tiǎo

兆 + 穴

Definitions

tiǎo quiet and secluded; gentle, graceful, and elegant

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 兆 represents the sound.

Semantic: 穴 Phonetic: 兆

About

The character combines the meaning component 穴 ("cave", "hole"), suggesting depth or seclusion, with the phonetic component 兆. Its original sense of "deep, secluded" later extended to describe a quiet, reserved, and elegant temperament, especially in a woman. Most famously, it appears in a binomial compound in the opening poem of the Classic of Poetry, referring to a virtuous and gentle maiden.