way, kind

般 is composed of 舟(a boat) and 殳, 舟 is the variant of 凡, 凡 is the picture of a bamboo tube, while 殳 depicts a hand holding a tool for hammering, so 般 is actually the picture of a hand holding a tool and knocking on a bamboo tube. The original meaning of 般 is a vertical container, also means staying, but such meanings have been replaced by 盤. On the other hand, a bamboo tube is used to hold liquid, to avoid the liquid mix with each other, one bamboo tube is used to hold one kind of liquid, so 般 now means class, kind or sort.