加入
jiārù · HSK 4
join
➕ 加 = add + 入 = enter; literally 'add-enter' = join
加 (jiā) means add; 入 (rù) means enter or go into. Together 加入 is 'add oneself in' — to join a group, party, or organization. The 入 component is a stylized drawing of an entrance, used in many 'enter' words.
加 — force 力 + mouth 口
加 is traditionally analyzed as a compound of 力 (strength) and 口 (mouth), suggesting boasting or exaggerating one's effort with words. From this it extended to the meaning 'to add' or 'increase'. Today it is used broadly for addition, both literal and figurative.
入 — single pictograph, two slanting strokes
入 is a pictograph showing an arrowhead or pointed entrance, with two strokes converging downward to suggest something going inward. The original sense was 'to enter,' and it still carries that meaning today. It contrasts visually with 人 (person), where the strokes cross differently at the top.