丫 meaning and stroke order
Forked; bifurcation
How to write 丫, stroke by stroke
3 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
Meaning of 丫
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- fork
- branch
- bifurcation
- girl
How 丫 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A forked line 丨.
Radical: 丨 (number one), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 丫
Picture a single stick 丨 that splits at the top into two little branches 丷. The shape 丫 looks just like a forked branch or a slingshot.
On its own 丫 is rare today. It mostly appears in words about forks and in 丫头 (yātou), a casual or affectionate word for a girl. Example: 这个小丫头真聪明。 (Zhège xiǎo yātou zhēn cōngming.) This little girl is really clever.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 丫 (yā) with 干 (gàn), 千 (qiān), or 个 (gè). Remember that 丫 has two short strokes slanting inward at the top and no horizontal stroke.
Common words with 丫
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 丫头 | yātou | girl; servant girl | HSK 7-9 |
丫 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 丫
Learning 丫 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 丫
How many strokes are in 丫?
丫 is written with 3 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 丫 mean?
丫 (yā) means forked; bifurcation. A common word with it is 丫头 (yātou), meaning "girl; servant girl".
How do you pronounce 丫?
丫 is pronounced yā, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 丫?
The radical of 丫 is 丨, which carries the idea of "number one". Dictionaries list 丫 under this radical.
Is 丫 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 丫 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 丫头 (yātou) rude to say?
It depends on context. Parents and close friends use it warmly for a young girl or daughter, but calling a stranger 丫头 can sound condescending. In older texts it also meant a servant girl.
What other words use 丫 for a fork shape?
A common one is 丫杈 (yāchà), the fork of a tree branch. You may also see 树丫 (shùyā), meaning a tree fork or branch.