配る
くばる · kubaru · JLPT N2 · verb-godan
to distribute
📦 配 has 酉 (wine jar) at its core: an old sense of sharing wine out to everyone
Dealing cards and delivering mail both use 配る, since each means sharing items out to several recipients. The 酉 root points to a jar poured out into many cups.
配 — wine vessel 酉 + self 己
Originally depicted a person 己 beside a wine jar 酉, suggesting matching or distributing wine at ceremonies. From this came the meaning 'to pair, match, distribute,' and later 'to deserve' or 'to mix/compound.' The 酉 component gives the wine-related semantic root, while 己 contributes phonetically.