meaning of Xiao Ya Tou (小丫头)

[catchacub]

Hi,

I am an American living in Beijing and was recently given the Chinese name Xiao Ya Tou (小丫头). Before I accept this name, I want some opinions as to the meaning. I have done the research and know the translation of each individual character, but here is my dilemma....

The day before I received this name I went out with some friends for my first Chinese massage. When the one of us who spoke Chinese asked the hotel receptionist where to go, she asked what kind of massage we wanted and said "Xiao Ya Tou massage?" with a smirk.

While the guys who named me say it just means "beautiful, kind, young girl" and is an actual Chinese name, I want to make sure it doesn't have any kind of negative conotation.

Thanks!

Sarah

[rob07]

丫头 is not a respectful way to refer to a girl, this isn't a real name.

[calibre2001]

I've seen shows where mothers call their daughters that. It's not a degrading term.

[renzhe]

While the guys who named me say it just means "beautiful, kind, young girl" and is an actual Chinese name

I'm pretty sure that it's not an actual Chinese name.

It's not a grave insult, but it's probably not something you'd want to have as your official name in Beijing.

[mythia]

It's a lovely term, mostly used on girls by people very closely to them. For example the parent may call its daughter 丫头, normally in a teasing and playful way, or it could be used by the girl's lover as a way to express affection. Many girls would love to be named so, or indeed even to name themselves 丫头(as a nickname or online username). Used by a stranger however, especially in the cities, it probably will mostly be offending.

It is not, maybe you should notice, a legit name. It would be like naming a girl "Gal". So all in all, a good name that is not for general purpose.

[sweetcheri]

丫头 can be both degrading and kind. My grandmother used to call me that when I was little, as an affectionate nickname. Imagine "Ya Tou" as a sort of rough sailor talk.

Then again, you can also hear things like, "丑丫头“ on the streets, which is really degrading for a girl, and means stupid girl. In my opinion, I think 丫头 is a good nickname, but perhaps not a good Chinese name. Also, while you may be the only one to own your Chinese name, 丫头 is used by many girls. Close girl friends can also call each other that.

[amibeyi]

It's means :You are a beautifull gril.

Pet name. Not really name.

[Lu]

I was going to say it means 'little maid', as in servant girl, but it does have more meanings than that. In any case, as mock Chinese names go this is only slightly better than Ta Made, that someone else reportedly got saddled with for a while.

[YANJG]

i'm Chinese. let me have a try. how old are you? oh, you don't have to answer. he he.

well, "xiao ya tou " is a not degrading name. if he calls you that way, it shows he thinks you are young, lovely ,cute, and energetic .

[Artem]

I would highly recommend you do not take this name as your official name

丫头 means either a girl or a maid. However, it usually carries a slave girl connotation (just watch a martial arts show and pay attention to how they speak to the 'maids').

小丫头 doesn't really mean maid at all. It really just means a girl (usually young). It's a great nickname for your close friends or mother to call you. In that context, it really just means a young sweet girl.

However, if a stranger was to call you 小丫头, it would almost always be an insult. It means something along the lines of ditsy or blond. Sometimes, it can mean naughty girl (as in bad).

And anyways, 小丫头 positive usage is only used with young girls, or by people that knew the girl when she was young (e.g. mother/grandmother, close friends). Pretty much all other times, it is safe to assume it's an insult.

[strainwax]

I am Chinese and xiao ya tou has no degrading meaning .

It just means little girl.

[Jialihai Jiejie]

Well, it really depends on WHERE you say it and to WHOM you're referring to.

Just be careful, you'd be alright!

It's perfectly okay to use it in some society, like mine. He he...

Jialihai Jiejie

[renzhe]

I am Chinese and xiao ya tou has no degrading meaning .

It just means little girl.

Try calling a policewoman that.

Or imagine the threadstarter naming herself 小丫头, and then going to a business meeting.

[anonymoose]

Try calling a policewoman that.

Yes, but would you call a policewoman "little girl" in an English speaking country? I don't think so. But it's hardly an insult.

[Lu]

So perhaps we should say that 小丫头 is insulting to anyone except to people you've known since they were a little girl. I'd certainly feel degraded if people started calling me little girl.

[Jialihai Jiejie]

I'd certainly feel degraded if people started calling me little girl.

Don't be sad...

The other side of the coin is:-

...at least people still thought you were young!

Jialihai Jiejie

[renzhe]

Yes, but would you call a policewoman "little girl" in an English speaking country? I don't think so. But it's hardly an insult.

The point some people (including me) are making is that there are certainly contexts in which calling somebody that would be considered degrading.

[roddy]

Heard a middle-aged lady working in McDonald's use this to call to a young girl mopping the floors the other day. First time I've actually heard 小丫头 used to actually get someone's attention I think.

[Shi Tong]

A simple approach is to use the online dictionary:

小 xiǎo​ small / tiny / few / young

丫头 yā​tou​ girl / servant girl / (used deprecatingly, but sometimes also as a term of endearment)

So.. you can take it either way from what I can gather- either as an insult OR a term of endearment, but I would not use it as a name.

[doraemon]

Yes, you can look at it both ways. It can be an insult when someone's speaking to you angrily or condescendingly or it could be an affectionate form of address. It's an endearment at best, I suggest you shouldn't accept it as a name.