[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Society-and-Culture \ #Interpersonal-Relationships # 友 yǒu friend; company ## Components [[又 (yòu)]] [[横 ((héng))]] [[撇 ((piě))]] ## Meaning Today, the character "友" primarily means: 1. **Friend**: It refers to a person with whom one has a friendly relationship. In modern usage, it is commonly found in words and phrases such as: - 友谊 (yǒuyì): Friendship - 友好 (yǒuhǎo): Friendly - 朋友 (péngyǒu): Friend ## History The character "友" is a compound ideogram, originally representing the concept of friendship. In oracle bone script, the character consisted of two right hands joined together, symbolizing two people working together in the same direction, helping each other, and overcoming difficulties together. In ancient times, the meanings of "朋" and "友" were not exactly the same. "朋" implied a deeper bond, while "友" simply referred to a friendly relationship, the ability to cooperate with each other. In the "Shuowen Jiezi", it is explained as "友, friends with common goals. Compound ideogram. It consists of two 又 (hands), indicating the meaning of becoming friends by interacting." The original meaning of "友" is friend. For example, in the text "Guozi • Evil Nature": "Choose good friends and befriend them." Here, the first "友" is a noun, meaning friend, while the second "友" is a verb, meaning to make friends. "友" also represents closeness and intimacy, as in the words "友善" (friendly) and "友爱" (amicable). ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[友 yǒu - oracular.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[友 yǒu - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[友yǒu - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[友 yǒu - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[友 yǒu - reg.svg]]