Ideographic: A metal 钅 fork 叉; 叉 also provides the pronunciationRadical:

meaning for chāi:

  • - hairpinpoor woman's clothing
  • - modest and virtuous woman (idiom)Xue Baochai, female character in Dream of Red Mansions, married to Jia Baoyu 贾宝玉 hair clipglistening hair decorations (of a woman or girl) (idiom)a thorn for a hair-pin, and plain cloth for a skirt
  • - very plainly dressed (of a girl) (idiom)