由
yóu · HSK 3
from
🌱 由 = a sprout pushing up through 田 (field) — origin point from which growth comes
Oracle-bone form shows a shoot emerging from a seed or vessel, marking the source. From that 'origin' sense it extends to 'from, via, by, through' — the point something proceeds out of.
由 — pictograph of a gourd or vessel with a stem
由 originated as a pictograph showing a gourd, fruit, or vessel with a sprout or stem emerging from the top. Over time the meaning shifted abstractly to 'come forth from' or 'origin', giving modern senses like 'reason', 'cause', and 'from'. It is unrelated to 田 despite the visual similarity.