充电器
chōng diàn qì · HSK 4
charger
🔌🔋 充电器 = fill + electricity + device (charger)
充 means fill/charge, 电 means electricity, 器 is a device or instrument. Together: a device that fills something with electricity — a charger.
充 — 育 (raise/grow) on top of 儿 (legs/person)
Originally depicted a person walking forward, suggesting movement and advancement. The form combines a growth element above with a person below, evoking the sense of being filled up or made full as one grows. Over time, the meaning shifted from 'go forward' to 'fill, fulfill, abundant'.
电 — rain 雨 + lightning tail 电
Originally a pictograph of lightning streaking from a cloud, written 電 with the rain radical 雨 on top. The bottom 电 depicts the zigzag flash itself. The simplified form 电 drops 雨 and keeps just the lightning shape. Meaning extended from 'lightning' to 'electricity' in modern usage.