伸手
shēnshǒu · HSK 7
to reach out with one's hand; to hold out a hand
🤲 伸 stretch + 手 hand = extend a hand; literally stretch out the hand to reach, beg, or meddle
伸 means stretch or extend, 手 means hand. Reaching a hand out covers all senses: stretch one's hand, ask for help, or stick your hand where it doesn't belong (meddle).
伸 — person radical 亻 + 申 (extend/state)
伸 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 亻 (person) gives the meaning, suggesting a body action, while 申 originally depicted lightning stretching across the sky and supplies the sound. Together they convey the idea of a person stretching or extending.
手 — pictograph of a hand with five fingers
手 is a pictograph showing an open hand with fingers and a wrist. Early bronze and oracle bone forms clearly depict five splayed fingers, which simplified over time into the modern shape. It keeps its original meaning of 'hand' and also serves as a radical in many characters related to hand actions.