冒名顶替 (mào míng dǐng tì) — to impersonate; to assume someone's identity by using their name

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

冒 was built from 冃, a hat used for the sound, plus 目, eyes, as the meaning part.

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

名 puts 夕 (crescent moon) above 口 (mouth), showing a name spoken in the dark.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頂; 顶 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 頂 pairs 頁, meaning head, with 丁, which supplies the sound; the simplified 顶 is a later abbreviation.

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

替 combines 竝, two figures side by side, with 曰; the picture shows those figures changing places.