Source: Make Me a Hanzi.
乡 is an abbreviated 鄉. The old drawing showed two kneeling people facing each other around a bronze bowl, sharing a meal; that gave the first meaning, people eating together. The countryside sense was borrowed for its sound; township and native place grew later. The Simplified form keeps just 乡.
Drawn as: two kneeling people; shared meal; bronze bowl
Sign in to add this word to your private lists.