据为己有 (jù wéi jǐ yǒu) — to appropriate (something) to oneself; to take possession of (something that rightfully belongs to others)

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

据 uses 手 (hand) as one part and 居 to give the sound.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

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

The 己 shape is a picture of a silk rope used to bind objects.

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

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.