叉

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 叉 (chà) is composed of two parts: the left component 扌(shǒu), which represents the hand, and the right component 叉 (chà), which is a pictograph of a forked stick. The character 叉 originally meant "to fork" or "to separate", and it has been used in this sense since the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE). Over time, the character 叉 has also taken on other meanings, including "to cross", "to intersect", and "to multiply".The character 叉 is also used in a number of Chinese idioms and proverbs. For example, the idiom 一箭双雕 (yī jiàn shuāng diāo) means "to kill two birds with one stone", and the proverb 人无横财不富，马无夜草不肥 (rén wú héng cái bù fù, mǎ wú yè cǎo bù féi) means "there is no such thing as easy money".The character 叉 is a common character in Chinese, and it is used in a wide variety of contexts. By understanding the etymology of the character 叉, HSK learners can gain a deeper understanding of the Chinese language and culture.