亲戚
qīnqī · HSK 7
relation
👪 亲 (dear/close) + 戚 (kin) = your dear kinfolk, i.e. relatives
亲戚 stacks two kin words: 亲 means dear or close family, 戚 is an old word for relative. Doubled up, they mean relatives in general. Sound cue: qīnqī rhymes with itself, like keen-chee said twice quick.
亲 — 立 (stand) + 木 (tree); simplified from 親
The traditional form 親 combined 亲 (phonetic, depicting a hazelnut tree) with 見 (see), suggesting closeness through frequent seeing of family. In simplified Chinese, 見 was dropped, leaving 亲. It now means 'parent,' 'intimate,' or 'in person,' and as qìng denotes in-laws.