sign, symbol, correspond

符 is composed of the radical 竹 (bamboo) and 付 (give). 付 carries the meaning of granting or handing over, implying delegating work to others. In ancient times, when an important task was entrusted to someone, a bamboo object was given as a credential, represented by 符. This credential was split into two halves; to verify authenticity, the holder’s half had to perfectly match the counterpart, so 符 also extends to mean conformity or tally.