回报
huíbào · HSK 5
repay
🔄 回 = return + 报 = report/repay; returning what you got
回 means return/circle back, 报 means report or repay. Together: returning a response — positive (reciprocate a favor) or negative (retaliate for a wrong). The 报 component also appears in 报答 (repay) and 报仇 (avenge).
回 — enclosure 囗 + smaller 囗 inside
回 is a pictograph of a swirling whirlpool or coiled spiral, shown as nested squares in modern form. The original meaning was 'to revolve' or 'turn around,' which extended to 'return' and 'a time/occurrence.' It also appears as a phonetic in characters like 茴 and 廻.
报 — hand 扌 (报) + 卩 seal/kneeling figure
Originally 報 depicted a hand pressing a kneeling criminal under a manacle (幸 + 卩 + 又), meaning 'to judge' or 'requite a crime.' From 'repay/requite' it broadened to 'respond, report, announce.' The simplified form 报 keeps the hand 扌 and 卩 but drops the manacle element.