合资
hézī · HSK 7
venture
💰🤝 合 (combine) + 资 (capital) = pool money together; a joint venture
合 means to join or combine, and 资 means capital or funds. Together they mean pooling money jointly, hence joint venture or raising funds. The same 资 shows up in 工资 (wages) and 资本 (capital).
合 — 乛 (lid/roof) + 口 (mouth)
Originally a pictograph of a lidded vessel — a cover (亼) closing over an opening (口) — giving the core sense of 'come together, join, fit.' From 'fit/match' it extended to 'combine, unite, agree' and to measure-word uses. The reading hé reflects this 'joining' meaning.