Chinese character 继

Its core idea is carrying something forward or following what came before.

The whole word decides the sense: 继续 keeps an action going; 继承 means inheriting property or a role, or carrying on someone's work; and 继而 links to what happens next. In 继父 and 继母, it marks a later family relationship: stepfather or stepmother.

If someone sends you only 继, the character alone does not tell you which sense they intend. Ask for the whole word or sentence rather than guessing their mood.

Where does 继 come from?

Its written form belongs to an older evolving tradition.

An early form, 㡭, is recorded on the 拍敦, a bronze vessel from the Spring and Autumn period. The later Chinese form 繼 contains the silk component 糹. The early Chinese dictionary Shuowen defines 繼 as “續也,” meaning “to continue.”

That old definition matches the modern core: compounds extend the idea of continuing to inheritance, succession to a position, later family relationships, and what happens next.

Should I use 继, 繼, or 継?

Match the form to the script standard you're writing in.

继 is the simplified Chinese form; 繼 is its traditional Chinese counterpart, with the same central meanings. Japanese 継 is a shinjitai form of 繼. It belongs to Japanese orthography, so it is not a substitute for 继 or 繼 in Chinese writing.