之 (Kangxi radical 4,丿+3in traditional Chinese and Korean, 丿+2in mainland China and Japanese, 4 strokesin traditional Chinese and Korean, 3 strokesin mainland China and Japanese,cangjie input戈弓人 (INO),four-corner3030₇,composition⿳丶㇇乀)

• 乏,芝,𠯣,㝎,㞫,𡘕,𬔱,椘,𡭿,𪦆,𩖳,𢾘,𬼛,𧉌,𫩝,𭾣,𭓆,𫡛,𮗧,𪢇

• し(Hiragana character derived fromMan'yōgana)
• シ(Katakana character derived fromMan'yōgana)
• 𛁄(Hentaigana character derived fromMan'yōgana)
• 𛁅(Hentaigana character derived fromMan'yōgana)

• Kangxi Dictionary:page 82, character 4
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 125
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 43, character 1
• Unihan data for U+4E4B

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意):止(“foot”) +一(“the beginning place”); compound meaning “to go”. It doesn't represent a sprout or a plant, asfolk etymology claims.

The footprint pointing upwards became a point, as in the right component of往 (which, in this case, is unrelated to主).

demonstrative pronoun "this; he; she; it"

FromProto-Sino-Tibetan*m-daj ~ m-di(“that; this”) (STEDT). Cognate with是 (OC*djeʔ, “this”),Tibetanདེ(de,“that”),Tibetanའདི('di,“this”),Burmeseဒီ(di,“this”).

"to go; to proceed"

Cognate with時 (OC*djɯ, “time; season”) (>辰 (OC*djɯn, “date; time”)),志 (OC*tjɯs, “goal”),趾 (OC*kjɯʔ, “foot”) (>止 (OC*kjɯʔ, “to stop”)),Burmeseစ(ca.,“to start; to begin”) (Schuessler, 2007).

之

1. (literary) togo

   • 吾欲之楚。[Classical Chinese,trad. andsimp.]

     From:Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuriesBCE

     Wú yùzhī chǔ.[Pinyin]

     I want togo to Chu.

   • 孔丘之齊見景公。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
     孔丘之齐见景公。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

     From:Mozi,c. 4^th centuryBCE

     Kǒng Qiūzhī qí jiàn Jǐng Gōng.[Pinyin]

     Kong Qiu visited the state of Qi and saw Lord Jing.

   1. (obsolete) tosprout; tocome about

      • 如語焉而未之然。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
        如语焉而未之然。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

        From: TheBook of Rites,c. 4^th – 2^nd centuryBCE

        Rú yù yān ér wèizhī rán.[Pinyin]

        As though you have said something to your parents but their reply has not yetcome.

2. (obsolete)this;these

   • 之子于歸。[Pre-Classical Chinese,trad.]
     之子于归。[Pre-Classical Chinese,simp.]

     From: TheClassic of Poetry,c. 11^th – 7^th centuriesBCE, translated based onJames Legge's version

     Zhī zǐ yúguī.[Pinyin]

     This girl is to get married.

   • 之二蟲又何知？[Classical Chinese,trad.]
     之二虫又何知？[Classical Chinese,simp.]

     From:Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuriesBCE, translated based onJames Legge's version

     Zhī èr chóng yòu hé zhī?[Pinyin]

     What shouldthese two small creatures know about the matter?

3. (literary)Genitive or attributive marker
   1. Indicates that the previous word haspossession of the next one.

      生命之道  ― shēngmìngzhī dào  ―  the wayof life/life's way

      北部灣之星——欽州[MSC,trad.]
      北部湾之星——钦州[MSC,simp.]

      Běibùwānzhī xīng — Qīnzhōu[Pinyin]

      starof theGulf of Tonkin--Qinzhou

      • 天其永我命于茲新邑，紹復先王之大業，厎綏四方。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
        天其永我命于兹新邑，绍复先王之大业，厎绥四方。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

        From: TheBook of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd centuryBCE

        Tiān qí yǒng wǒ mìng yú zī xīn yì, shàofù xiānwángzhī dàyè, dǐsuí sìfāng.[Pinyin]

        Heaven will perpetuate its decree in our favour in this new city; the great inheritanceof the former kings will be continued and renewed, and tranquillity will be secured to the four quarters (of the kingdom)

      • 生之快樂將代替了死之悲哀[MSC,trad.]
        生之快乐将代替了死之悲哀[MSC,simp.]

        From:1935 May 2,Fang Zhimin,《可愛的中國》

        shēngzhī kuàiyuè jiāng dàitì le sǐzhī bēi'āi[Pinyin]

        (please add an English translation of this usage example)

      • 第二條關係雙方當事人之住所，由雙方共同協議；未為協議或協議不成時，得聲請法院定之。[MSC,trad.]
        第二条关系双方当事人之住所，由双方共同协议；未为协议或协议不成时，得声请法院定之。[MSC,simp.]

        From:2019 May 17,《司法院釋字第七四八號解釋施行法》

        Dì-èr tiáo guānxì shuāngfāng dāngshìrénzhī zhùsuǒ, yóu shuāngfāng gòngtóng xiéyì; wèi wéi xiéyì huò xiéyì bùchéng shí, dé shēngqǐng fǎyuàn dìng zhī.[Pinyin]

        (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   2. Indicates that the previous wordmodifies the next one.

      尺寸之功  ― chǐcùnzhīgōng  ―  a minor contribution

      • 萬乘之國弒其君者，必千乘之家。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
        万乘之国弑其君者，必千乘之家。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

        From:Mencius,c. 4^th centuryBCE

        Wànshèngzhī guó shì qí jūn zhě, bì qiānshèngzhī jiā.[Pinyin]

        In the kingdomof ten thousand chariots, the murderer of his sovereign shall be the chief of a familyof a thousand chariots.

      • 相同性別之二人，得為經營共同生活之目的，成立具有親密性及排他性之永久結合關係。[MSC,trad.]
        相同性别之二人，得为经营共同生活之目的，成立具有亲密性及排他性之永久结合关系。[MSC,simp.]

        From:2019 May 17,《司法院釋字第七四八號解釋施行法》

        Xiàngtóng xìngbiézhī èr rén, dé wèi jīngyíng gòngtóng shēnghuózhī mùde, chénglì jùyǒu qīnmìxìng jí páitāxìngzhī yǒngjiǔ jiéhé guānxì.[Pinyin]

        (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   3. particle indicating that the preceding element isspecialised orqualified by the next

      • 五穀者，種之美者也。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
        五谷者，种之美者也。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

        From:Mencius,c. 4^th centuryBCE, translated based onJames Legge's version

        Wǔgǔ zhě, zhǒngzhī měi zhě yě.[Pinyin]

        Of all seeds, the best are the five kinds of grain.

      • 物之甘者，吃過必酸。[Written Vernacular Chinese,trad.]
        物之甘者，吃过必酸。[Written Vernacular Chinese,simp.]

        From:c. 13th century, various editors,A Collection of Conversations of Master Zhu (《朱子語類》)

        Wùzhī gān zhě, chīguo bì suān.[Pinyin]

        Thingsthat are sweet leave a sour aftertaste.

4. (archaic)Particle infixed in a subject-predicate construct acting as a nominalizer or indicating asubordinate clause.

   • 我周之東遷，晉、鄭是依。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
     我周之东迁，晋、郑是依。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

     From:Guoyu, circa 4^th centuryBCE

     Wǒ Zhōuzhī dōngqiān, Jìn, Zhèng shì yī.[Pinyin]

     That we the Zhou migrated East — that was wholly reliant on Jin and Zheng.

   • 子固非魚也，子之不知魚之樂全矣。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
     子固非鱼也，子之不知鱼之乐全矣。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

     From:Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuriesBCE

     Zǐ gù fēi yú yě, zǐzhī bùzhī yú zhī yuè quán yǐ.[Pinyin]

     [Y]ou certainly are not a fish.That you do not know the happiness of fishes is a complete and valid argument.

   • 雖我之死，有子存焉。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
     虽我之死，有子存焉。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

     From:Liezi, 1^st – 5^th centuryCE

     Suī wǒzhī sǐ, yǒu zǐ cún yān.[Pinyin]

     Despitethat I will die, there will be children who survive me.

   • 大道之行也，天下為公。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
     大道之行也，天下为公。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

     From: TheBook of Rites,c. 4^th – 2^nd centuryBCE, translated based onJames Legge's version

     Dàdàozhī xíng yě, tiānxià wèi gōng.[Pinyin]

     When the Grand Course was pursued, a public and common spirit ruled all under the sky.

5. (literary)The third-person pronoun:him,her,it,them, when it appears in a non-subject position in the sentence.

   取而代之  ― qǔ'érdàizhī  ―  to take the place of (the aforementioned subject)

   我們不能對此事聽之任之。[MSC,trad.]
   我们不能对此事听之任之。[MSC,simp.]

   Wǒmen bùnéng duì cǐ shì tīngzhīrènzhī.[Pinyin]

   We cannot passthis matter by without protest.

   茲制定××法，公布之。[MSC,trad.]
   兹制定××法，公布之。[MSC,simp.]

   Zī zhìdìng × × fǎ, gōngbùzhī.[Pinyin]

   The Law on XX is hereby enacted and promulgated.
   (Standard enacting formula on Taiwanese Presidential Orders)

   • 好一一聽之。[Classical Chinese,trad.]
     好一一听之。[Classical Chinese,simp.]

     From:Han Feizi, circa 2^nd centuryBCE

     Hào yīyī tīngzhī.[Pinyin]

     He preferred to listen tothem one-by-one.

   • 甘橘，大厘城有之，其味酸。[Classical Chinese,trad. andsimp.]

     From:Tang Dynasty,Fan Chuo,Manshu,chapter 7, part 7

     Gānjú, Dàlí chéng yǒuzhī, qí wèi suān.[Pinyin]

     Dali City has sweet tangerines, but their flavour is sour.

   • 第二條關係雙方當事人之住所，由雙方共同協議；未為協議或協議不成時，得聲請法院定之。[MSC,trad.]
     第二条关系双方当事人之住所，由双方共同协议；未为协议或协议不成时，得声请法院定之。[MSC,simp.]

     From:2019 May 17,《司法院釋字第七四八號解釋施行法》

     Dì-èr tiáo guānxì shuāngfāng dāngshìrén zhī zhùsuǒ, yóu shuāngfāng gòngtóng xiéyì; wèi wéi xiéyì huò xiéyì bùchéng shí, dé shēngqǐng fǎyuàn dìngzhī.[Pinyin]

     The residence of both involved parties with the relationship described in the second article is to be jointly settled by both parties; when it has not been settled, or the settlement was unsuccessful, they may request the court to determineit.

Remember that Chinese grammar is more about reducing ambiguity and less about following rules. The other meanings of this word all stem from the 3rd pronoun and demonstrative meaning (except the "to go" meaning which is unrelated). It roughly means "him, it, this" > "his, its" > "'s"/qualifier. Compare其 (OC*ɡɯ, “he, his, its”) > Min Nan possessive 個.

Juxtaposition alone can indicate possession or qualification in Chinese even without this word. The actual purpose of this word is to act like a comma to group the words before it as a noun clause and prevent what comes after from being interpreted as the object of a verb. Consider "上山道" whence "上之山道" (mountain road that is up there) and "上山之道" (road for climbing a mountain). Like的, unambiguous and popular compounds like食品(shípǐn) drop the之(zhī). Other grammatical characters also work by enforcing a grouping of words. Modern Chinese fossilizes this word and uses的 instead, which originated from either 之 or者 (OC*tjaːʔ, “one who > relativiser”), and took on the "'s"/qualifier meaning.

之(zhī) as a pronoun, functions like a noun determiner while然(rán) is a verb determiner. Consider "食此藥！若不食之, 將死" which would mean "Eat this medicine! If you don't eatthis (if you eat some other medicine), [you] will die" and contrast "食此藥！不然(=若不食), 將死" which would mean "Eat this medicine! If [you] don'tdo this (or if you do something else), [you] will die."