女
nǔ · HSK 1
female
👧 Ancient pictograph of a kneeling figure with crossed arms — woman radical
The oracle bone form showed a person seated with arms folded across the chest, a posture associated with women in ancient China. Now the radical 女 appears in many characters relating to female roles like 妈 (mom) and 姐 (sister).
女 — pictograph of a kneeling woman
女 is a pictograph originating in oracle bone script, depicting a person kneeling with arms crossed in front, a posture associated with women in ancient China. Over time the form was simplified and squared off into the modern character. Its core meaning of 'woman' or 'female' has remained stable for over three thousand years.