予 yǔ bestow
to give; to award
How it came to be
Two hooks interlocking, one passed through the other: a weaver's shuttle handed across the loom. The handing over is the shape, and there is nothing else in it.
How it is used
- A formal/written char meaning 'to give/grant', almost never standalone - 给予 (jǐyǔ) to give; 予以 (yǔyǐ) to give/render (予以支持, give support).
- Bookish register for bestowing: 授予 (shòuyǔ) confer (an award/degree), 赋予 (fùyǔ) endow with, 不予 (bùyǔ) to not grant (不予受理, decline to accept).