丫头

• 拼音: yā tou
• 汉字拆解: 丫 = pictographic fork shape (the forked hairstyle of young girls in ancient China); 头 = 大 + 丿 (head/person)

含义

Girl; lass; young woman. An informal, affectionate term for a young girl or woman, often used by an older speaker. Also used colloquially by parents to refer to their daughter.

Carries warmth and informality. In classical contexts, 丫头 referred to a young female household servant. In modern usage, it is primarily a term of endearment for a girl or one's daughter, especially in spoken northern Chinese. Avoid in formal or professional contexts.

例句

1. 爷爷每次见到孙女都亲切地喊她小丫头，逗得全家人哈哈大笑，充满了浓浓的家庭温情。
2. 这丫头从小性格倔强，认准了的事情谁都劝不动，家人既无奈又暗自佩服她的执着。
3. 村里的老人们看着这个从小看着长大的丫头成功考上名牌大学，都感到由衷的欣慰与自豪。

用法指南

语境: family, spoken language, northern China dialect

语气: affectionate

正确说法

• 他笑着摸了摸女儿的头，宠溺地说这丫头又在胡思乱想些什么了。(He laughed and ruffled his daughter's hair, saying affectionately: 'What is this girl daydreaming about now.')
• 老太太拉着邻家的丫头问东问西，嘘寒问暖，仿佛把她当作了自己的孙女一般疼爱。(The old woman took the neighbour's girl's hand and asked her all sorts of questions, fussing over her as though she were her own granddaughter.)

错误说法

• 我们公司的丫头们 — using 丫头 in a professional context to refer to female colleagues is condescending and inappropriate; use 同事 or 女同事 instead

起源与历史

丫 (fork/bifurcation — referring to the forked hairstyle worn by young girls in ancient China) + 头 (head/person)

文化背景

时代: Traditional/Modern

世代: Older speakers and all ages in spoken contexts

社会背景: Universal