副
fù · HSK 6
deputy
📋 副 = 一 (one) + 田 (field) + 刂 (knife); knife splits one into a pair, hence 'secondary' or measure word for sets
副 means deputy/secondary or a measure word for paired/set items (gloves, glasses, cards). The 刂 (knife) radical hints at splitting/dividing into matching parts. Used as 一副 for sets that come together as a unit.
副 — 刀 knife + 畐 (full vessel, phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The knife radical 刂 (刀) suggests cutting or splitting, while 畐 (a full jar) gives the sound. The original sense was 'to split in two,' which extended to 'secondary' or 'deputy' — something paired alongside the main one.