阿谀奉承 (ā yú fèng chéng) — to fawn on, to toady, to engage in sycophantic flattery

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

The part 阜 points to a mound, and 可 gives the pronunciation; 阿 originally meant a big mound.

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 諛; 谀 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 諛, 言 marks speech and 臾 gives the sound; the simplified 谀 is a shorthand, not the historical shape.

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

奉 pairs 丰 for the pronunciation with 廾, 'two hands', as the meaning part.

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

承 combines 卩, a kneeling person, and 廾, both hands, to show holding or carrying.