Origin

This character most likely combines the idea of a leader or authority figure with elements suggesting maturity and responsibility. The upper portion suggests a person or official, while the lower strokes build outward, conveying the notion of commanding or extending influence. Over time, this visual idea became associated with military rank and official position—a person of authority and age. The character eventually came to mean both a military officer and an older man, since both carry connotations of rank and experience in traditional societies.