交付
こうふ · koufu · JLPT N1 · noun
furnishing
📦 交付 = 交 (hand over, pass between) + 付 (hand over, hand to): two hand-over characters, so deliver
交 means to pass something between parties and 付 means to hand something over. Together they describe formally handing over goods, documents, or copies to someone.
交 — top 亠 + 父-like crossed legs
Originally a pictograph of a person standing with legs crossed, showing the idea of crossing or intersecting. From this concrete image, the meaning extended to abstract senses like 'exchange,' 'interact,' and 'hand over.' Modern uses such as 交流 (exchange) and 交通 (traffic) all trace back to this core notion of crossing.
付 — person radical 亻 + hand 寸
付 originally pictured a hand (寸) reaching out to hand something to a person (亻), depicting the act of giving or delivering. The core sense 'to hand over, deliver, pay' has remained stable since ancient bronze inscriptions. It also serves as a phonetic component in characters like 附, 符, and 府.