崛起
jué qǐ · HSK 7
to emerge suddenly
⛰️ 崛 = 山 mountain radical + 屈 (qū); 起 = to rise — a peak that springs up
The 山 (mountain) radical in 崛 fixes the meaning: something towering. Paired with 起 (to rise, get up), 崛起 is the sudden upward surge of a peak, a power, or a movement emerging onto the scene.
起 — 走 (run) + 己 (self/phonetic)
起 combines 走 'run/walk' as the meaning component with 己 as the phonetic component. The 走 element suggests movement of the body, giving the core sense of rising up or starting to move. From there it extended to meanings like 'get up,' 'begin,' and 'arise.'