About
The character "呱" is structured as a phono-semantic compound, integrating the mouth radical (口) with the component "瓜" that primarily provides phonetic guidance, linking the character to sounds associated with the mouth. Its etymological origin lies in onomatopoeia, where it initially served to mimic audible phenomena like the calls of frogs or ducks, as reflected in early textual uses. Over time, its application broadened from direct sound representation to encompass evaluative meanings, exemplified by the idiom "呱呱叫", which employs reduplication to convey a sense of excellence or top quality. This semantic expansion demonstrates how the character's core association with vocalization gradually adapted to more abstract, metaphorical contexts within the language, while its structural composition has remained consistent throughout its history.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
小鸭子呱呱地叫。
青蛙在池塘里呱呱叫。
他的成绩真是呱呱叫。
孩子们听到呱呱声就笑了。
虽然青蛙呱呱叫，但我不觉得吵。
清晨，田野里传来阵阵呱呱声。
那只乌鸦呱呱地叫着飞过了屋顶。
她模仿鸭子呱呱叫的声音非常像。