及
jí · HSK 7
and
🫳🏃 etymology: a hand (又) grabbing a fleeing person from behind — catching up, reaching
及 shows a hand (又) at the lower right clutching a person (人) ahead of it. The hand finally reaches its target, so the word means to reach, to catch up to, and by extension the connective and.
及 — hand 又 reaching person 人
Originally a pictograph showing a hand (又) catching or reaching a person from behind, depicting the act of catching up to someone. The core meaning 'to reach' or 'to catch up to' extended to 'and' (reaching/including more items) and 'in time for'. Modern form simplifies the person and hand into connected strokes.