The word 方 now means ‘square’, but and the pictogram looks like the shape of an ear.
The word 方used to refer to certain tribes who had a less-developed culture than the Han Chinese. , for example, 方言 (fāng yán, ’dialect’)，方 can also be used as in phrases that are related to location or direction， for example 方位 (fāng wèi, ‘location’), 地方 (dì fang, ‘place’) and 方向 (fāng xiàng, ‘direction’).
方 can also be used as a component in word-formation. Words with this component are sometimes related to ‘flag’, for example, 旗 (qí, ‘flag’), 旌 (jīng, ’banner’).
More often, 方 is often used to indicate the pronunciation of the word that contains it, for example, 放 (fàng, ‘release’), 防 (fáng, ’protect’) , 芳 (fāng, ’fragrant’) , 访 (fǎng, ’visit’).
Idioms and phrases
方便 fāng biàn
方寸 fāng cùn
Often used to refer to the heart
方法 fāng fǎ
方家 fāng jiā
方面 fāng miàn
方向盘 fāng xiàng pán
方圆 fāng yuán
Literally ‘square and circle’, meaning ‘neighborhood’ or ‘area’
前方 qián fāng
In front; front