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The character 帼 (guó), the simplified form of 幗, is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic radical 巾 (cloth) places it in the category of textiles, while the component 国 (trad. 國) provides the pronunciation. Historically, 帼 referred to a type of fabric headdress or hair ornament worn by women. As this item became a distinct marker of female attire, the character evolved into a metonym for women in general. This usage is most evident in the term 巾帼 (jīnguó), a respectful reference to women or heroic females.
Etymology Hide
