About
The traditional character "嬰", from which "婴" is derived, structurally combines the radical "女" meaning woman with the component "賏" itself composed of two "貝" characters representing cowrie shells, indicating an original etymological sense of a shell necklace or ornament. This initial meaning, rooted in the value and use of shells as currency and decoration, gradually shifted through metaphorical association with something precious and delicate, leading to the semantic specialization denoting an infant or very young child by the classical period. The evolution reflects a transfer from the concrete object to the abstract valuation of human young, with the character's form maintaining the "女" element while the shell components were later simplified.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个婴儿很可爱。
妈妈抱着婴儿。
婴儿在摇篮里睡觉。
那个女婴笑得开心。
婴幼儿产品非常安全。
护士细心地照顾生病的婴儿。
为了婴儿的健康，父母学习育儿知识。
现代科技帮助监测婴儿的睡眠质量和生理指标。