Character 達

In Chinese, 達 means “reach,” “attain,” or “convey.” In 到達 it means reaching a destination; in 傳達 it means passing a message on. Korean hanja, Chinese characters used in Korean writing, also uses 達 for reaching or attaining.

In Japanese, 達 can be read as たち and mark a group: 私達 means “we.” In earlier Japanese usage, たち was restricted to gods and high-status people; its use later broadened to ordinary groups.

達 developed as a written character. Traditional analysis combines 辵, the movement component, with 羍, a component that supplies the sound. Different forms appear in bronze inscriptions, an early formal Chinese style called seal script, and manuscripts.