卑尔根 (Bēi ěr gēn) — Bergen (city in Norway)

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

卑 puts 甲 (fan) with 𠂇 (hand), drawing a hand holding a fan, showing a servant.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 爾; 尔 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 爾, simplified as 尔, originally drew cloth on a loom with crossing threads. It was borrowed for its sound to write “you,” so the picture is unrelated to that meaning.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

根 pairs 木 (tree/wood), pointing to plant roots, with 艮 as a sound part.