Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 与 (yǔ) originated in ancient China as a pictograph representing 'to give' or 'to grant.' Its earliest forms depicted two hands exchanging an object, symbolizing mutual giving and receiving. Over time, the character evolved through various script styles - from oracle bone script to bronze inscriptions, seal script, and finally the modern simplified form. The core meaning expanded from physical giving to include concepts of participation, connection, and relationship. In classical Chinese, it functions both as a verb meaning 'to give' and as a conjunction meaning 'and' or 'with,' reflecting its fundamental concept of connection and interaction between entities. Arrived in Japan: The character 与 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE as part of the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through cultural exchange with Korean peninsula and China. It was systematically adopted during the Asuka period (538-710 CE) when Japanese scholars began studying Chinese texts and adapting Chinese characters for writing Japanese. The character maintained its core meanings of 'to give' and 'and/with' in Japanese usage, though its pronunciation adapted to Japanese phonetics as 'yo' or 'ataeru.'