奖项
jiǎng xiàng · HSK 7
award
🏆 奖 jiǎng = award/prize + 项 xiàng = item/category (the CL for awards)
奖 means prize or reward; 项 means an item or category and is the measure word counting awards. Together 奖项 names an award category or prize. Note 项 xiàng also shows up in 项目 (project/item).
奖 — 将 jiāng (phonetic) + 大 (big)
Originally written 獎 with 犬 (dog) below 將, suggesting urging a dog onward—hence 'encourage, exhort.' The simplified form replaces 犬 with 大. Meaning extended from 'encourage' to 'reward' and then to 'prize, award.'
项 — 工 (gōng, phonetic) + 頁/页 (head)
项 originally meant the nape or back of the neck, with 頁 (head) giving the meaning and 工 supplying the sound. Over time it broadened to mean 'item' or 'category,' as in 项目 (project/item), while the original neck sense survives in compounds like 颈项.