共
gòng · HSK 4
together
🤝 共 = 廿 (twenty) + 八 (eight hands) — many hands held up together
Originally shows two hands raising an object jointly. The modern shape keeps that 'many hands joined' sense, which extends to 'together, in total, in company'. Common in 共同 (together) and 一共 (in all).
共 — 两手 (廾) holding up an object
共 originally depicted two hands raised together, lifting or offering something jointly. The ancient form showed a vessel or object held up by paired hands, conveying shared action. From 'lifting together' it shifted to mean 'together,' 'common,' or 'share.'