Definitions

(particle) and; to; up to
(verb) to reach; to catch up with

Etymology

Pictograph of a hand () reaching to grab a person ().

About

The character 及 originated from the concept of a hand catching up to a person, conveying the idea of reaching or attaining. Its contemporary structure is composed of the components 丿 and 又, with 又 representing a hand, reflecting this ancestral notion. Initially denoting physical reaching or overtaking, the meaning extended to temporal contexts, such as arriving in time, and subsequently grammaticalized into a conjunction equivalent to "and" or "also" in classical and modern usage.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

时完成了作业。

Wǒ jíshí wánchéng le zuòyè.

I completed my homework on time.

他买了苹果以橙子。

Tā mǎi le píngguǒ yǐjí chéngzi.

He bought apples and oranges.

他数学考试格了。

Tā shùxué kǎoshì jígé le.

He passed the math exam.

这件事涉多个部门。

Zhè jiàn shì shèjí duō gè bùmén.

This matter involves multiple departments.

电脑普改变了生活。

Diànnǎo pǔjí gǎibiàn le shēnghuó.

The popularization of computers has changed life.

我来不去看电影了。

Wǒ láibují qù kàn diànyǐng le.

I don't have time to go see the movie.

你现在准备还来得

Nǐ xiànzài zhǔnbèi hái láidéjí.

You still have time to prepare now.

学习外语文化很有必要。

Xuéxí wàiyǔ jí wénhuà hěn yǒu bìyào.

Learning foreign languages and culture is very necessary.