隨

Phono-semantic compound:

辵/辶 (“walk slowly, movement”) – semantic component (related to motion and following);

隋 (phonetic component, originally the name of the Sui Dynasty, also meaning “to fall, leftover meat from a sacrifice”).

In early scripts, 辶 wrapped around 隋 forming 䢫.

During the clerical script (隸書) to regular script (楷書) transition, the 辶 compressed and now sits to the left.

Originally, 隨 itself referred to the Sui Dynasty. When Emperor Wen of Sui (隋文帝) disliked the “walking” radical 辵 (viewing “wandering” or “falling” meanings as inauspicious), the dynasty name’s character was changed to 隋 (removing 辵).

Very common in Mandarin Chinese, with meanings such as:

- to follow someone or something (ex. 隨他去吧 – “Let him go.”);

- in accordance with (ex. 隨著 – “along with, as…”);

- at will / freely (ex. 隨意 – “as one wishes”);

- to comply with, to yield to (ex. 隨便 – as one pleases);

- to be attached to / accompany (ex. 附隨 – to follow along, to attach);

- to follow after in time or order (ex. 隨後 – afterwards).