她 (tā) is a relatively modern character in Chinese, created specifically to represent the third-person singular feminine pronoun “she/her.” Its structure clearly reflects this purpose:

• 女 (nǚ): This component, representing “woman” or “female,” is a common radical in characters related to women or feminine qualities. It serves as the primary indicator of the character’s gender-specific meaning.
• 也 (yě): This component means “also” or “too.” However, in this context, it primarily serves as a phonetic component, providing a sound hint similar to the pronoun “she” (tā).

Combining these elements, 她 was intentionally created to distinguish the feminine pronoun from the existing gender-neutral 他 (tā), which originally referred to both “he” and “she.” The addition of the “woman” radical to 她 clearly marks it as the feminine pronoun.

The creation of 她 is significant because it reflects a shift in language and social awareness in China during the early 20th century. There was a growing movement to promote gender equality and recognize the distinct roles and identities of women. The introduction of 她 provided a dedicated pronoun for women, acknowledging their individuality and importance in society.

The character 她 is now widely used in Chinese to refer specifically to women, highlighting the evolution of language to reflect changing social norms and the increasing recognition of gender identity.