Sow character

It developed from older Chinese forms, with no single inventor.

A graph on Late Shang oracle bones—animal bones used for divination—has been read as an early sign for a female pig, though matching it specifically to 豝 is disputed. The later explanation in 《說文解字》, an early Chinese character dictionary, pairs 豕, the pig component, with 巴 as a sound cue.

Classical glosses include a sow, a pig grouped by age (sources disagree on the age), and, in a regional gloss, a large pig. In the hunting poem 《詩經·召南·騶虞》 from the Classic of Poetry, “壹發五豝” describes five female wild pigs; a later commentary on the Book of Rites 《禮記》 turns the hunt into an image for finding worthy officials. Lexicons also cross-reference 羓, a dried-meat character. For input, use bā on a Chinese Pinyin keyboard or Cangjie, a shape-based input method.

Should I use 豝 in a modern message?

Use it for a classical quotation or character study.

A 2015 People's Daily discussion lists 豝 among old pig terms that are now rare and notes that unfamiliar characters can hinder everyday communication. In a casual modern message, use a common phrase for “sow” unless you want the classical or dictionary-like register.

How do I type 豝?

Use a Chinese Pinyin or Cangjie input method.

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