丫 yā forked
girl
How it came to be
象形 · Pictogram
A drawing of the thing it means.
The character is a picture of a fork in a branch or a path, and it appeared only around the year 1000.
用法
- A fork/branch shape: 树丫 (shùyā) fork of a tree; the character itself pictures a Y.
- Mostly seen in 丫头 (yātou), an affectionate/old-fashioned word for a young girl or maidservant.