实验
shíyàn · HSK 3
experiment
🧪 实 (solid/real) + 验 (to test) = a real test, i.e. experiment
实 means solid, real, or actual; 验 means to test, examine, or verify. Together they form 实验: a real-world test where you verify a hypothesis. Same 验 appears in 经验 (experience) and 考验 (ordeal/test).
验 — horse radical 马 + 佥 (all/together)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The horse radical 马 originally referred to inspecting horses, while 佥 (qiān, 'all together') supplied the sound. Over time the meaning broadened from 'examine a horse' to 'test, examine, verify' in general.