依据
yījù · HSK 5
according to
📋 依 = rely on + 据 = evidence; rely on evidence as your basis
依 means to rely on or depend on; 据 means evidence or grounds. Together: the evidence you rely on, i.e. the basis for a claim or action. Pairs with 根据 (gēnjù) which is near-synonymous.
依 — person radical 亻 + clothing 衣
A semantic-phonetic compound: 亻(person) gives the meaning of relying on someone, while 衣 (yī, clothing) supplies the sound. The original sense pictured a person leaning on or wrapped in clothing, extended to the modern meanings of 'rely on,' 'depend on,' and 'according to.'
据 — hand radical 扌 + 豦
据 combines the hand radical 扌 with the phonetic component 豦. Originally meaning to seize or grasp with the hand, it later extended to 'rely on' or 'according to.' In modern simplified Chinese, 据 also serves as the simplified form of 據, merging the two characters' meanings.