冲
chōng · HSK 4
charge
🐂💨 冲 = 氵(water) + 中 (middle); water rushing through the middle
The 氵radical signals water; 中 gives the sound and means middle. Together: water charging through — extended to any rush, dash, or charge forward.
冲 — water radical 氵 + middle 中
Originally written 沖, combining the water radical 氵 with 中 ('middle') as the phonetic. The early sense was water surging or pouring, which extended to 'rush, charge, clash.' In simplified Chinese it merged with 冲 (ice radical 冫 + 中), so today 冲 covers both the 'rinse/rush' meanings and some older 沖 uses.