Chinese character 姛

姛 describes a straight or stiff neck.

The earliest dictionary record is in 說文解字, an Eastern Han dictionary; it uses the older form 𡜝 and describes the appearance of a straight neck.

In traditional analysis, 女 marks the meaning side and 同 points to the sound. This connects 姛 to the 同 sound family, including 桐 and 銅. Later dictionaries also give the sense “the end of the neck.”

Why can 姛 stand for 女同?

It is a visual pun built from 女 + 同.

As of 2026, a documented Chinese internet use makes 姛 a one-character substitute for 女同, meaning “lesbian.” An online discussion describes the pun as teasing or ironic, and sometimes as a way to mock stereotypes.

The topic is the clue: a discussion of Chinese internet slang or queer identity favors the pun; a dictionary or etymology note favors the neck sense. With neither cue, ask what the sender meant.

Why does 姛 look different?

Its outline depends on the font displaying it.

Taiwan’s CNS 11643 record lists multiple local font styles and says Windows 10 and later include a default glyph. If a device lacks a font that covers 姛, fallback can show a box or another font’s design; that does not change the character’s meaning.