與

Phono-semantic compound composed of:

舁 (들 여) — semantic base, meaning “to lift together” or “to carry with both hands.”

The top portion also conveys togetherness, mutual action, giving rise to “to give” or “to join.”

The graph originally depicted two people lifting or carrying something together, hence the shared meaning of togetherness and offering.

From this original imagery, the meanings “to participate,” “to offer,” and “to accompany” naturally developed.

與其 (여기) — rather than; compared to

與會 (여회) — to attend a meeting

參與 (참여) — to participate

給與 (급여) — to grant, to bestow

與人為善 (여인위선) — “to act kindly with others”

In Confucianism (儒家思想), 與 represents more than the act of “being with” or “giving to” — it embodies moral reciprocity (互惠) and ethical togetherness (仁與).

The Analects (論語) repeatedly uses 與 in contexts of social virtue and mutual trust:

「與朋友交而信」 — Be trustworthy when associating with friends.

「君子與人以善」 — A noble person associates with others through goodness.

Here, 與 conveys balance between self and others, reflecting the Confucian belief that virtue manifests not in isolation but in relationships of shared humanity.

To “與人” is to participate in goodness, extending one’s virtue outward into the community.

In this sense, 與 is a moral connector — linking one’s inner sincerity (誠) to outer harmony (和).

Within Daoist (道家) philosophy, 與 expands beyond human relations to express unity with the Dao (道) — the natural Way of the universe.

Zhuangzi (莊子) writes of the sage who “moves with (與) the transformations of Heaven and Earth” (與天地化), dissolving the boundary between subject and object.

Here, 與 embodies oneness with nature — to “flow together” rather than to “control.”

While Confucian 與 centers on ethical harmony among people, Daoist 與 represents spiritual harmony with existence itself.

In classical poetry, 與 often appears in lyrical imagery of companionship and shared emotion:

春風與人笑 (The spring breeze smiles with people)

花與人笑 (Flowers smile with people)

月與雲行 (The moon moves with the clouds)

Such expressions portray the world as interconnected, each element participating in the beauty of another.

Thus, 與 becomes a poetic emblem of mutual resonance — the silent accord between nature, emotion, and time.

Grammatical and semantic notes:

1. Verb Usage (Classical)

In Classical Chinese, 與 functions as a verb of giving or association:

「君子與人以善」 — A gentleman associates with others in goodness.

「天與之不取，反受其咎。」 — Heaven offers it, but if one does not take it, blame follows.

2. Prepositional / Conjunctive Use

Used as a preposition or conjunction, 與 links nouns or clauses in the sense of “with,” “and,” or “together with.”

「與朋友交而信」 — Be trustworthy in friendship with others.

3. Semantic Duality: Giving vs. Joining

The dual meaning — to give and to be with — reflects the Confucian ideal of mutuality (互惠):

giving implies connection, and association implies sharing.

预 / 与 (Simplified forms): the simplified character 与 (used in modern Chinese) merges 與, 豫, and others in meaning, though etymologically distinct. 与 (used for both “to give” and “and”).

Traditional form: 與 (retains original structure and meaning nuances).