The kanji 従 primarily conveys the idea of "to follow," "to obey," "to comply with," or "to be subordinate." It implies a relationship where one person or thing acts in accordance with the direction or instruction of another. The core meaning centers around the concept of following a leader, a rule, or an order. It can also signify "to accompany" or "to attend."

・On-yomi (音読み): じゅう (jū) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): したが（う） (shitaga(u))

⚫︎ 従う Translation: to obey; to follow; to comply with. ⚫︎ 従事 Translation: to be engaged in; to be employed in. ⚫︎ 従兄弟 Translation: cousin (male cousin)

The kanji 従 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). It is composed of two parts: ⚫︎ The left side is 彳 (ぎょうにんべん - gyōninben), which is a simplified form of 行 (to go, to walk). This part acts as the semantic component, hinting at movement or action, and by extension, following or accompanying. ⚫︎ The right side is 宗 (そう - sō), which originally depicted a house or ancestral temple. The meaning of 宗 later evolved to represent "principal," "main," or "fundamental." The combination of these two elements created the meaning of 従 – to follow the main direction, to follow the leader, or to be subordinate to the main one. The character's evolution reflects the importance of following and adhering to established rules or hierarchies in ancient societies.