Definitions
(adverb)
again; once more
(adverb)
also; in addition
(particle)
both... and...; and yet
Etymology
Pictograph of a hand. The character is based on the original meaning "hand". The current meaning "again" is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "又" derives from an early pictographic representation of a right hand, which established its initial semantic association with manual activities or possession. Over time, its concrete meaning receded as it acquired a grammatical function, becoming primarily used as an adverb to denote repetition or an additive conjunction, meanings such as "again" or "also" in modern usage. Its structural form, composed of two simple strokes, has persisted without modification and it frequently appears as a constituent in other characters, often imparting a residual sense of action or intervention, though this historical connection is not always transparent in contemporary compounds. This shift from a noun to a grammatical element reflects a broader pattern of semantic abstraction within the language.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
今天又下雨了。
我又忘了带钥匙。
她又是第一名。
他又高又帅。
这个问题又复杂又重要。
他昨天来了，今天又来了。
这部电影又感人又有趣。
他不仅工作努力，又经常帮助同事。