举动
jǔdòng · HSK 5
behaviour
🚶 举 = lift/raise + 动 = move; raising-and-moving = an act or behaviour
举 means to lift or raise (think 举手 raise hand); 动 means to move. Together, the lifted-and-moving deeds a person performs become their actions, conduct, or demeanor.
举 — hands 𠆢 + give 与 (simplified from 擧)
Originally written 擧, showing hands (手) lifting something together with the phonetic 與 'together'. The simplified form 举 keeps the idea of many hands raising up. Core meaning 'to lift, raise' extended to 'to launch, propose, hold (an event)'.
动 — force 力 + heavy/重 (simplified from 動)
The traditional form 動 combines 重 (heavy) as the phonetic with 力 (force/strength) as the semantic, suggesting the effort needed to move something heavy. The simplified form 动 replaces 重 with 云, keeping 力 to convey action and motion.