About
The character "及" originated as a pictographic representation of a hand reaching from behind to catch up to a person, a composition still visible in its traditional form which combines the radical for "man" (人) with a component representing a hand. This concrete visual etymology directly informed its primary early meaning of "to reach" or "to attain", conveying a sense of physical or temporal arrival at a point. From this core idea of connection and attainment, its meaning broadened semantically to function as a conjunction meaning "and" or "as well as", thereby shifting from denoting a physical action to linking elements in a logical or inclusive relationship. This grammatical function, which emphasizes a connection where the latter item is reached or included with the former, became its dominant modern usage while the original sense of "to reach" persists in some classical and compound contexts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我及时完成了作业。
他买了苹果以及橙子。
他数学考试及格了。
这件事涉及多个部门。
电脑普及改变了生活。
我来不及去看电影了。
你现在准备还来得及。
学习外语及文化很有必要。