in

Originally a variant form of , which is a pictograph of a crow. The current use as a function word is a phonetic loan.

Evolution

於 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
於 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
於 Clerical script Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
於 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

in, at, on; interjection alas!; in; at; to; from; by; than; out of

 

surname Yu; Taiwan pr. [Yú]

 

(literary) Oh!; Ah!

Component uses

Sound component in 5 characters (0 verified)