U+9497 "钗" CJK Unified Ideograph-# Unicode Character

U+9497 "钗" CJK Unified Ideograph-# is a traditional Chinese character that represents a type of hairpin or ornament worn in ancient China, specifically a two-pronged decorative clasp used to secure hair in a bun, often made of precious metals or jade and associated with women's adornment. In composition, the character combines the "gold" radical (钅) on the left, indicating metal or value, with the phonetic component "叉" (chā) on the right, which conveys the idea of forked or branching shape. Historically, the 钗 was not only a practical hair accessory but also a cultural symbol of feminine beauty and social status, frequently referenced in classical Chinese poetry and literature to evoke elegance, romance, or melancholy. In modern Chinese, it continues to carry these connotations, and the character appears in phrases and idioms, such as "钗裙" (hairpins and skirts) as a metonym for women, or in the name of the tragic literary figure Lin Daiyu's jade hairpin in "Dream of the Red Chamber."