The story of 豈

how

豈 is composed of a variant of 手 (hand) and a simplified form of 壴 (drum). 壴 is a pictograph of a drum, so 豈 depicts the act of striking a drum with the hand. In ancient China, victorious armies would return with the beating of drums in celebration, giving 豈 its original meanings of victory and joy. However, these meanings were later taken over by the characters 凱 (triumph) and 愷 (joyful). Nowadays, 豈 is used only as a function word, meaning "how" or "could it be," retaining the forceful tone of its original meaning, often carrying a sense of questioning.