令人羡慕 (lìng rén xiàn mù) — enviable; admirable

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

In 令, the upper 亼 is an open mouth and the lower 卩 is a kneeling person, together showing someone giving orders.

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

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 羨; 羡 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 羨 combines 羊 (sheep) and 㳄 (saliva) to express envy; the different form 羡 is not the one whose parts are explained.

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

慕 combines 莫 for the sound with the lower 㣺, a form of 心 (heart).