HSK · Level 79
45 words
Chinese word
丫头
Pronunciation
Pinyinyā tou
Meaning
- nounlittle girl
Example
丫头在屋里帮忙做饭。yā tou zài wū lǐ bāng máng zuò fàn
The little girl is helping cook in the house.
More examples
邻居家的丫头喜欢在院子里玩泥巴。lín jū jiā de yā tou xǐ huān zài yuàn zi lǐ wán ní bā
The neighbor's little girl likes playing with mud in the yard.
Core concept
A familiar colloquial name for a girl or young woman, often warm and sometimes teasing.
Common phrases
小丫头xiǎo yā tou
little girl
可爱的丫头kě ài de yā tou
cute little girl
Similar words
姑娘gū niáng: A young woman or older girl, often referred to in an everyday way.
少女shào nǚ: An adolescent girl, especially one around puberty or in her teenage years.
女孩nǚ hái: A female child, with the focus on being a girl rather than an adult.
Definition in Chinese
在方言和口语中用作对小女孩的俗称或爱称，现代汉语里多见于亲昵的称呼场合。zài fāng yán hé kóu yǔ zhōng yòng zuò duì xiáo nǚ hái de sú chēng huò ài chēng xiàn dài hàn yǔ lǐ duō jiàn yú qīn nì de chēng hū chǎng hé
Word origin
丫头 (yātou, "little girl") combines 丫 (yā, "forked shape") with 头 (tou, "head") and originally evoked a girl's forked hairstyle before becoming a colloquial term for a girl.
Usage tips
- This colloquial term can sound warm or teasing, and its suitability depends more on the relationship between speakers than on the girl's exact age.