发起
fāqǐ · HSK 6
initiate
🚀 发 fā (send out) + 起 qǐ (rise) = send-out-and-rise → initiate
发 means to send out or issue; 起 means to rise or start up. Together 发起 literally combines sending-out with rising-up, giving the sense of launching or initiating an action, campaign, or proposal.
发 — simplified form of 發; from 癶 (two feet) + 弓 (bow) + 殳 (weapon)
The traditional form 發 depicted shooting an arrow from a bow, with 癶 showing outstretched feet and 弓 the bow, giving the core sense of 'send out, discharge.' From this came extended meanings like 'issue, emit, develop.' The modern simplified 发 also absorbed 髮 (hair), so it now covers both 'to send out' and 'hair.'
起 — 走 (run) + 己 (self/phonetic)
起 combines 走 'run/walk' as the meaning component with 己 as the phonetic component. The 走 element suggests movement of the body, giving the core sense of rising up or starting to move. From there it extended to meanings like 'get up,' 'begin,' and 'arise.'