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伢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
伢yáchildn, 6 strokes, radical 亻
伢yá(dialect) childunknown, 6 strokes, radical 亻
yá(ya2) T2
  1. 1child
  2. 2(dialect) child
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

伢yá(ya2)

The character 伢 (yá) refers to a child or a young person, often used in certain Chinese dialects. It conveys an informal and affectionate tone, typically used by adults when speaking about younger individuals in a familiar context.

Strokes6Radical亻
Cultural Note

In certain regions of China, especially in rural areas, the term 伢 reflects the close-knit family structures and the affectionate way adults refer to children, emphasizing the warmth of community life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a young child playing with a yoyo (sounds like 'yá'). The character 伢 has a person radical (亻) on the left, indicating it relates to people, and a simplified form that can remind you of a child in playful motion.

Meanings of 伢

yá(ya2)
1child
2(dialect) child
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 伢

伢Simplified
6Strokes
亻Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 伢

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Podcast: 伢

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AI Study Notes for 伢

Quick Contrast

伢 (yá) vs 孩子 (háizi) — use 伢 for a more informal and affectionate tone.

Usage Notes

伢 is predominantly used in dialects, particularly in Southern China, and may not be understood universally. It's informal, so avoid using it in formal writing or speeches. A common collocation is '小伢' (xiǎo yá), meaning 'little child.'

HSK Study Tips

Since 伢 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, learners should recognize its regional usage. Focus on understanding dialectical differences and how this word connects to standard Mandarin words for 'child' like 孩子 (háizi).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 伢 with the more standard 孩子 (háizi) and might use it in formal contexts. For example, saying '伢在学校' (yá zài xuéxiào) in a formal meeting would be inappropriate; use '孩子在学校' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 伢

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Etymology of 伢

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

person

Semantic (meaning)亻
+
Phonetic (sound)牙
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 伢

  1. 1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half牙 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayperson
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 伢? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 伢?

Decomposition of 伢

IDS Structure⿰亻牙
伢Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
牙ya2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 伢?

How to say child in Chinese

“child” in Chinese is伢yá

The character 伢 (yá) refers to a child or a young person, often used in certain Chinese dialects. It conveys an informal and affectionate tone, typically used by adults when speaking about younger individuals in a familiar context.

When to use 伢

伢 is predominantly used in dialects, particularly in Southern China, and may not be understood universally. It's informal, so avoid using it in formal writing or speeches. A common collocation is '小伢' (xiǎo yá), meaning 'little child.'

伢 or something close to it

伢 (yá) vs 孩子 (háizi) — use 伢 for a more informal and affectionate tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 伢 with the more standard 孩子 (háizi) and might use it in formal contexts. For example, saying '伢在学校' (yá zài xuéxiào) in a formal meeting would be inappropriate; use '孩子在学校' instead.

Write 伢

伢

Practice writing 伢 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 伢

Words Containing This Character3
伢yá(dialect) child
伢子(dialect) child
伢崽(dialect) child
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 伢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 伢

No, 伢 is primarily used in dialects, particularly in the South, and may not be understood in other regions.

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