Interesting Chinese Characters #4 and #5: Cunning involves holding something in one’s mouth

刁 tricky, sly, crafty, cunning

diao1 (diu1)

叼 holding in mouth

diao1 (diu1)

http://ctext.org/dictionary

In order to be cunning, what do you suppose one must hold in one’s mouth? That “cunning” word is very close to another less acceptable word that defines “female genitalia.”