來
ライ, タイ, く.る, きた.る, きた.す, き.たす, き.たる
come, due, next, cause, become
JLPT0 G13 S0 F5000
A depiction of a barley plant, emphasizing the rows of pendent fruits of grain concealed in husks (compare 米). 夂 leg/foot pointed downward was added to yield a new character, 麥, meaning "come" → plant come from Central Asia. However, the meanings of 麥 and 來 were eventually inverted, so that 麥/麦 now means barley and 來/来 *come* → *since*; *until now*; *future*; *next/the coming* (week etc.) → *cause*; *bring about* (← come about).
[Full Kanji Etymology List]