佳节
jiā jié · HSK 7
holiday
🎉 佳 fine/good + 节 festival = a fine festival, i.e. a festive holiday
节 on its own means festival or node/joint; pair it with 佳 (fine, excellent) and you get a fine festival. Used for the big calendar holidays, as in 每逢佳节 (whenever a festival comes around).
节 — bamboo radical 竹 (⺮) + 即
Originally written 節, depicting a bamboo joint — the segmented node where a stalk divides. The bamboo radical ⺮ gives the meaning, while 即 supplies the sound. From 'bamboo joint' the meaning expanded to any segment, hence 'section,' 'festival' (a marked point in the year), and 'restraint' (knowing where to stop).