<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/1KbZfIb3.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/1KbZfIb3.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>↑The transformation of the glyph of 幼 in Chinese history (sourced from Reference 1). It may help to understand the connection between the glyph and the meaning of 幼.</p>
<p>The answers to your both questions in short are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Q1 - the origins of character 幼: 甲金文從「幺」從「力」，…… 引申為小(馬敍倫)。 Just as
prismcool posted, the origin is from the picture composed of a silk
string and a farm tool (left most in the illustration). 幼's meaning when created might be '<strong>weak in strengh</strong>', but its widely-used meaning is '<strong>young
in age</strong>', because one could imagine 力小 by 年幼. 年幼 causes 力小.</li>
<li>Q2 - why 力 is in 幼, what is the relation: The composition of 幼 is by
会意 / compound ideographs, which means its meaning derives from the
jointly understanding of every components of the glyph. As history proceeds, the glyph structure of two components remains the same, while one partial of it gradually becomes to 力, referring the shape of the farm tool.
Notes that some opinions consider that 力 refers to strength as an extra meaningful extension.</li>
</ul>
<p>Now 幼's meaning (as an adj.) ] includes '<strong>young in age</strong>' (e.g. 幼小，年幼), '<strong>young born</strong>' (e.g. 幼虫，幼苗),
and '<strong>immature, not sophisticated</strong>' (e.g. 幼稚，幼嫩).</p>
<p>Reference:</p>
<p>[1]<a href="https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%B9%BC" rel="nofollow noreferrer">幼的解释</a>. In the link are more details about the explanation of 幼,  including vast examples in written language from ancient to modern.</p>
<p>[2]<a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%85%AD%E6%9B%B8#Chinese" rel="nofollow noreferrer">六书</a>. 会意 is one of the six classifications of Chinese characters (六书), you can wiki it for details.</p>
<p>[3]<a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B9%BC/3499363#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9C%E5%B9%BC%E2%80%9D%E6%9C%AC%E4%B9%89%E6%98%AF" rel="nofollow noreferrer">幼（汉语汉字）</a>. Opinions of 力 as a meaningful extension.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-05T06:38:40.883Z
2024-10-08T01:24:57.030Z
2024-10-08T01:24:57.030Z
zrsammy
<p>At the current moment, I am currently researching on the origins of character 幼 (<em>yòu</em>; young, underage, child) and so far, I think I'm sort of stumped with figuring out the composition (or explanation) if the character.</p>
<p>Now from my understanding, I am well full aware that 幼 (*<strong>ʔiw-s</strong>) is composed of semantic and phonetic clue <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=28577" rel="nofollow noreferrer">幺 (*<strong>ʔˤ[i]w</strong>; silk threads)</a> and semantic <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/jiaguwen?kaiOrder=16" rel="nofollow noreferrer">力 (plow)</a>. However the only difficulty I have with this character is finding out on how the component 力 relates to the meaning 'young'.</p>
<p>A few explanations I've came across don't seem to clarify on this. Outlier Dictionary for example explains that 力 is a 'form component' even though it does not go into detail about the role of this component as shown here:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>FORM</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>幼 yòu is composed of 幺 yāo “a small amount of silk; small amount” and 力 “strength, force, power,” pointing to the original meaning “young.” 幺 also gives the sound.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>COMPONENTS</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>幺</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>[S] In 幼 yòu, 幺 yāo “a small amount of silk; small amount” is both a sound component and a form component.
[Reference, p. 271]</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>力</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>[S] In 幼, 力 “strength, force, power” is a form component, pointing to the original meaning “young.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>漢語多功能字庫 on the other hand however explains 幼 as 'a rope tied under a plow' and assumes one of the original meanings as 'to use little strength'. This is as shown here:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Elaboration: 甲金文從「幺」從「力」，「力」象翻土的農具(耒)形，「幺」象絲線形，一說象耒下綁繫繩索，是古代耦耕的用具，耕種時一人踏耒入土，一人拉索(金文形義通解)。一說本義是力量微少，引申為小(馬敍倫)。/ Elaboration: The oracle bone and bronze inscriptions is composed of 「幺」 and 「力」. 「力」 depicts a farming instrument (a plow) for turning the soil and 「幺」 depicts a rope tied under the plow. One theory is that it depicts a rope tied under a plow, which could be a farming tool used by two people in ancient times. In farming, one person would step to push the plow into the soil while the other pulled on the rope (金文形義通解). One theory is that it originally meant 'to use little strength,' which was then extended to mean 'young.' (Ma Xulun)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm kind of stuck here figuring out how 力 relates to 幼 as most sources I've came across to reference to do not seem to clarify on the role of 力. Some say 幼 was a picture of a rope tied under a plow, but I can't be too sure about that yet since I'm unsure about what 幼 is supposed to convey and how it came to mean 'young.'</p>
<p>So now the question I'm wondering, how does 力 relate in any way to 幼's meaning, 'young'? What is even the glyph origin for this character with these two components?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-05T05:00:03.940Z
This is not an answer, just speculation. Quote:-  "...how does 力 relate in any way to 幼's meaning, 'young'?" The silk radical, 幺, also means " the most young" or a "minor component", also the number 1 of a dice or the "1" in mahjong as opposed to "9" Well, the silk 丝, is produced by the silk worm, the "young" caterpillar of a specie of moths. And the silk, for its size, is well known for its "strength", 力. So, I supposed the idea being the "young" silkworm is able to produce something of "strength", In any case, youth or the young, in any culture, has also been associated with strength.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-05T05:42:55.393Z
幼‘s meaning of *young* is an *immature* young - it’s supposed to semantically extend to *underdeveloped, weak*. It’s not *young* as in *healthy, young, vigorous, and strong*.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-05T05:45:34.700Z
@dROOOze Ahhh I see, thanks for the clarification. Yeah, I think when I looked this character up, it was a bit vague on what it meant by 'young'.
prismcool
<characters><glyph-origin>
How does 力 relate to the meaning in 幼?
# How does 力 relate to the meaning in 幼?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-10-05)

At the current moment, I am currently researching on the origins of character 幼 (*yòu*; young, underage, child) and so far, I think I'm sort of stumped with figuring out the composition (or explanation) if the character.

Now from my understanding, I am well full aware that 幼 (\***ʔiw-s**) is composed of semantic and phonetic clue [幺 (\***ʔˤ[i]w**; silk threads)](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=28577) and semantic [力 (plow)](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/jiaguwen?kaiOrder=16). However the only difficulty I have with this character is finding out on how the component 力 relates to the meaning 'young'.

A few explanations I've came across don't seem to clarify on this. Outlier Dictionary for example explains that 力 is a 'form component' even though it does not go into detail about the role of this component as shown here:

> **FORM**

> 幼 yòu is composed of 幺 yāo “a small amount of silk; small amount” and 力 “strength, force, power,” pointing to the original meaning “young.” 幺 also gives the sound.

> **COMPONENTS**

> 幺

> [S] In 幼 yòu, 幺 yāo “a small amount of silk; small amount” is both a sound component and a form component.
> [Reference, p. 271]

> 力

> [S] In 幼, 力 “strength, force, power” is a form component, pointing to the original meaning “young.”

漢語多功能字庫 on the other hand however explains 幼 as 'a rope tied under a plow' and assumes one of the original meanings as 'to use little strength'. This is as shown here:

> Elaboration: 甲金文從「幺」從「力」，「力」象翻土的農具(耒)形，「幺」象絲線形，一說象耒下綁繫繩索，是古代耦耕的用具，耕種時一人踏耒入土，一人拉索(金文形義通解)。一說本義是力量微少，引申為小(馬敍倫)。/ Elaboration: The oracle bone and bronze inscriptions is composed of 「幺」 and 「力」. 「力」 depicts a farming instrument (a plow) for turning the soil and 「幺」 depicts a rope tied under the plow. One theory is that it depicts a rope tied under a plow, which could be a farming tool used by two people in ancient times. In farming, one person would step to push the plow into the soil while the other pulled on the rope (金文形義通解). One theory is that it originally meant 'to use little strength,' which was then extended to mean 'young.' (Ma Xulun)

I'm kind of stuck here figuring out how 力 relates to 幼 as most sources I've came across to reference to do not seem to clarify on the role of 力. Some say 幼 was a picture of a rope tied under a plow, but I can't be too sure about that yet since I'm unsure about what 幼 is supposed to convey and how it came to mean 'young.'

So now the question I'm wondering, how does 力 relate in any way to 幼's meaning, 'young'? What is even the glyph origin for this character with these two components?

**Tags:** characters, glyph-origin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This is not an answer, just speculation. Quote:-  "...how does 力 relate in any way to 幼's meaning, 'young'?" The silk radical, 幺, also means " the most young" or a "minor component", also the number 1 of a dice or the "1" in mahjong as opposed to "9" Well, the silk 丝, is produced by the silk worm, the "young" caterpillar of a specie of moths. And the silk, for its size, is well known for its "strength", 力. So, I supposed the idea being the "young" silkworm is able to produce something of "strength", In any case, youth or the young, in any culture, has also been associated with strength.  
> **username_2**: 幼‘s meaning of *young* is an *immature* young - it’s supposed to semantically extend to *underdeveloped, weak*. It’s not *young* as in *healthy, young, vigorous, and strong*.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Ahhh I see, thanks for the clarification. Yeah, I think when I looked this character up, it was a bit vague on what it meant by 'young'.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-10-05. Score: 1

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/1KbZfIb3.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/1KbZfIb3.png)

↑The transformation of the glyph of 幼 in Chinese history (sourced from Reference 1). It may help to understand the connection between the glyph and the meaning of 幼.

The answers to your both questions in short are:

* Q1 - the origins of character 幼: 甲金文從「幺」從「力」，…… 引申為小(馬敍倫)。 Just as
  username_0 posted, the origin is from the picture composed of a silk
  string and a farm tool (left most in the illustration). 幼's meaning when created might be '**weak in strengh**', but its widely-used meaning is '**young
  in age**', because one could imagine 力小 by 年幼. 年幼 causes 力小.
* Q2 - why 力 is in 幼, what is the relation: The composition of 幼 is by
  会意 / compound ideographs, which means its meaning derives from the
  jointly understanding of every components of the glyph. As history proceeds, the glyph structure of two components remains the same, while one partial of it gradually becomes to 力, referring the shape of the farm tool.
  Notes that some opinions consider that 力 refers to strength as an extra meaningful extension.

Now 幼's meaning (as an adj.) ] includes '**young in age**' (e.g. 幼小，年幼), '**young born**' (e.g. 幼虫，幼苗),
and '**immature, not sophisticated**' (e.g. 幼稚，幼嫩).

Reference:

[1][幼的解释](https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%B9%BC). In the link are more details about the explanation of 幼, including vast examples in written language from ancient to modern.

[2][六书](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%85%AD%E6%9B%B8#Chinese). 会意 is one of the six classifications of Chinese characters (六书), you can wiki it for details.

[3][幼（汉语汉字）](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B9%BC/3499363#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9C%E5%B9%BC%E2%80%9D%E6%9C%AC%E4%B9%89%E6%98%AF). Opinions of 力 as a meaningful extension.


---

