懂中文 Dong Chinese

很

hěn

very

Original meaning: 

go against

Phonosemantic compound. 彳 represents the meaning and 艮 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "go against". The meaning later shifted to "fight", "ruthless", "extraordinary", and "very". Etymologically related to 狠.

Components
彳 meaning component

彳  Meaning component

chì

  

walk

彳 is a component form of 行.

艮 sound,meaning component

艮  Sound Meaning component

gěn, gèn

  

blunt

Depicts a person looking backwards.

Evolution

很 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
很 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

很  

hěn

very, quite, much; (adverb of degree); quite; very; awfully