Origin

This character combines a vehicle or wheel radical (車, the bottom part) with a sound hint at the top (非). The sound component 非 suggests roughly how the character should be pronounced. Since 車 originally referred to carts or vehicles and their wheels, the character started by meaning groups of people traveling together in vehicles or caravans. Over time, the meaning shifted from literal traveling companions to broader groups — comrades, fellows, or people of the same kind. The shape pictures both the practical meaning (vehicles) and carries a sound clue to its pronunciation through the top component.