钗

釵

chāi

叉 + 钅

Definitions

chāi hairpin

Etymology

A metal 钅 fork 叉; 叉 also provides the pronunciation

About

The character 钗 is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic radical, metal (金), indicates the object is made of metallic material such as gold or silver. The traditional form 釵 combines the metal radical (釒) with the phonetic component 叉, which also hints at the object's forked shape. The simplified form 钗 retains the phonetic 叉 while modifying the radical to 钅. The character refers to a traditional Chinese hairpin, a feminine ornament with two prongs used to secure hair, often symbolizing female beauty in classical literature.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

她戴着一支玉钗。

Tā dài zhe yī zhī yù chāi.

She is wearing a jade hairpin.

这支金钗很贵重。

Zhè zhī jīn chāi hěn guìzhòng.

This gold hairpin is very valuable.

妹妹喜欢收集各种钗。

Mèimei xǐhuān shōují gèzhǒng chāi.

My younger sister likes to collect various hairpins.

奶奶的钗是传家宝。

Nǎinai de chāi shì chuánjiābǎo.

Grandma's hairpin is a family heirloom.

她在古董店买了一支古钗。

Tā zài gǔdǒng diàn mǎi le yī zhī gǔ chāi.

She bought an ancient hairpin at an antique shop.

那支凤钗雕刻得非常精细。

Nà zhī fèng chāi diāokè dé fēicháng jīngxì.

That phoenix hairpin is carved very delicately.

由于钗的材质特殊，需要小心保管。

Yóuyú chāi de cáizhì tèshū, xūyào xiǎoxīn bǎoguǎn.

Because the hairpin's material is special, it needs to be carefully preserved.

在传统婚礼上，新娘通常会戴一支华丽的钗。

Zài chuántǒng hūnlǐ shàng, xīnniáng tōngcháng huì dài yī zhī huálì de chāi.

In traditional weddings, the bride usually wears a gorgeous hairpin.

Related Characters

Component: 叉

Component: 钅

钗