有

yǒu

HSK 2.0 1

HSK 3.0 1

Rank #8

Definitions

yǒu (verb) to have; to possess

yǒu (verb) there is; there are; there exists

Etymology

Depicts a hand (又) holding meat (肉). In Oracle script this character was written the same as the phonetically similar 又, but later the 肉 component was added to distinguish them.

Phonetic: 月

About

The character "有" traces its etymology to an early pictorial concept of possession, visually conceptualized through the image of a hand grasping a piece of meat, which laid the groundwork for its structural composition. Over time, this representation evolved into a more abstract form while retaining the essential components alluding to hand and meat, though significantly stylized. Its primary meaning of holding or owning tangible objects gradually broadened to encompass abstract possession and further extended to indicate existence or presence in a general sense. This semantic expansion integrated the character into various grammatical frameworks, where it serves not only as a verb denoting having but also functions in constructions that assert being or availability, reflecting a natural adaptation in usage while its written form remained largely consistent.