About
The character "闺", whose traditional form is "閨", derives from a conceptual combination of the "門" (door or gate) radical and the phonetic component "圭", a jade tablet. Its original meaning referred not to a person but to a specific architectural feature: a small, secondary gate located within a larger gate complex, often an inner or ceremonial entrance. Over centuries, this concrete meaning underwent a significant metaphorical shift, as the character came to designate the innermost, private living quarters within a household, spaces traditionally reserved for women and daughters. This semantic evolution solidified the term’s primary modern association with the boudoir or women’s chambers, carrying connotations of seclusion, propriety, and the domestic sphere, which historically defined a woman’s world in literate Chinese society.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
她是我的闺蜜。
我的闺女今年五岁了。
姐姐的闺房非常整洁。
少女的闺中密友来看她了。
这些诗词描写了深闺女子的忧愁。
古代女子大多待字闺中。
小说细腻刻画了她的闺阁生活。
这部作品突破了传统闺怨诗的题材。