种族主义 (zhǒng zú zhǔ yì) — racism

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

种 pairs 禾, which shows rice or grain and fits meanings like plant and seed, with 中, which gives its sound.

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

族 combines 㫃, a flag, and 矢, an arrow.

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.