The earliest 來 was a drawing of a wheat plant, with a central stalk, grain-bearing branches and roots. Ancient writers then borrowed that word to write the similar-sounding verb “to come”. A separate character, 麥 / 麦, eventually took over the meaning “wheat”. The simplified 来 follows long-established abbreviated handwriting. This wheat-shaped sketch reflects the attested early form, not a picture of someone arriving.
A piece of culture
Come closer 来 / 來 points towards the speaker: 出来 / 出來 means “come out”, while 出去 means “go out” away from the speaker. Around a family table, 来吃饭 / 來吃飯 is the warm invitation “Come and eat.” In everyday spoken Cantonese you will often hear 嚟 (lai4) for “come”; 來 (loi4) remains familiar in writing and compounds.