The kanji 協 represents the idea of cooperation, collaboration, and harmony. It implies working together towards a common goal, often with mutual support and understanding. It can also signify agreement, assistance, or a shared effort. The core meaning emphasizes the act of joining forces and working in concert.

・On-yomi (音読み): キョウ (kyou) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): かな（う）(kanau)

⚫︎協力 (きょうりょく) Translation: Cooperation ⚫︎協議 (きょうぎ) Translation: Discussion; negotiation ⚫︎協定 (きょうてい) Translation: Agreement; pact

The kanji 協 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), which means it combines a semantic component (meaning) and a phonetic component (sound). The left side of the character is 十, representing "ten" or "many", implying togetherness. The right side is 劦, which originally represented "strength" or "power". The combination suggests the strength that comes from many people working together, hence the meaning of cooperation and harmony. The original form of the character shows three men (represents three workers) gathering together, with the hands of each other. Over time, the form became simplified to its modern form.