ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY
与
and; with; to give
yǔ
3 strokes · hands passing an object across — giving joins two parties · HSK 2
Where 与 comes from
The old form 與 shows four hands passing one object: giving. Handing something across links giver and receiver, so 与 became the written 'and/with' that joins them.
与 in Chinese culture
与 is the formal 和 — headlines and book titles love it: 战争与和平 War and Peace. 参与 to participate ('join with'). Spot 与 and you know the register just went up a notch.
Example
参与 cānyù — to participate
我与他是老朋友。
Wǒ yǔ tā shì lǎo péngyou.
He and I are old friends.
How to remember it
Hands PASSING something across — WITH, AND, to GIVE.
Chinese renders 'X and Y' titles with 与 almost every time — 傲慢与偏见 Pride and Prejudice, 罪与罚 Crime and Punishment.
Same sound, different tones
Words unlocked by 与
参与 cānyù
to participate
与其 yǔqí
rather than
Related characters
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