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钗

釵
chāi
noun

Measure Word

一支金钗 zhī

Meanings

  1. 1 a two-pronged hairpin (worn by women)

Examples

HSK 7-9
她发髻上插着一支金钗。
Tā fàjì shàng chā zhe yì zhī jīnchāi.
She wore a gold hairpin in her bun.
HSK 7-9
诗句说：「临别钗分两股。」
Shījù shuō ：「 línbié chāi fēn liǎng gǔ 。」
The line says: 'When we parted she broke a gold hairpin in two.'

Tips

culture
A classic image in old poetry: a 钗 is a forked ornamental hairpin. Lovers who parted would snap one in half and each keep a prong as a keepsake; 钗 also stands by extension for a woman herself.

Components

radical
钅 jīn
metal; gold
Left-side metal radical, the side form of 金. Hairpins were made of gold, silver or bronze, so the metal radical names the material.
phonetic
叉 chā
fork; (here) sound and shape
Right side 叉 supplies the sound chāi and the picture too - a hairpin is forked like a 叉 (fork), so the phonetic doubles as a hint to the shape.

Stroke Order

钗 chāi