to go; to head toward (来往,勇往直前); the past; former times (往事,往常,以往)
往 points to going and to the past: 往事 'past events', 往常 'as usual', 来往 'come and go'.
GF0025–2021 character list · 二级WHOLE GLYPH & STRUCTURE
ZDIC: 会意，从彳、从主 — the step side with 主. The account is meaning-based; no modern sound claim is made.
WHOLE CHARACTER
to go; to head toward (来往,勇往直前); the past; former times (往事,往常,以往)
往 points to going and to the past: 往事 'past events', 往常 'as usual', 来往 'come and go'.
ZDIC: 会意，从彳、从主 — the step side with 主. The account is meaning-based; no modern sound claim is made.
MEANING: THE STEP SIDE (ZDIC 从彳)
a small step (the left-step radical form)
The left half of 行; a bound form, not a standalone page.
In 往: meaning: the step side (ZDIC 从彳) The small-step radical: walking and roads.
RIGHT PIECE: 主 (ZHǓ), NAMED BY ZDIC'S 会意 ACCOUNT
master; main
Standalone meaning is kept separate from its sound role in 住.
In 往: right piece: 主 (zhǔ), named by ZDIC's 会意 account Shown as the written piece; no sound relation to wǎng is claimed.
Checking for a Mandarin voice…