妾 (qiè)

concubine; I, your servant (deprecatory self-reference for women)

Etymology

Depicts a woman (女) with a damaged reputation (䇂 is a pictograph of a tool used to tattoo the face of criminals as punishment).

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“妾,有辠女子,給事之得接於君者。从,从女。《春秋》云:‘女為人妾,妾不娉也。’”

Components