宪法
xiànfǎ · HSK 7
constitution
📜 宪 (statute) + 法 (law) = the supreme statute-law, a constitution
宪 means statute or fundamental ordinance; 法 means law or method. Together they name the top-level law that all other laws answer to: a constitution or charter. The 法 here is the same 法 in 法律 (law).
法 — water 氵 + go 去
Originally written 灋, combining the water radical 氵 (suggesting a level standard, like water finding its level), the mythical beast 廌 (which judged guilt), and 去 (to remove or banish). The 廌 was later dropped, leaving 法. The core meaning evolved from 'law' or 'standard' to also include 'method' and 'way of doing'.