常见
chángjiàn · HSK 2
commonly seen
👀 常 = often/usual + 见 = see → often-seen, i.e. commonplace
常 carries the sense of constant or habitual; 见 is the verb to see or perceive. Together they form an adjective meaning frequently encountered, the everyday counterpart to 罕见 (rarely seen).
常 — 巾 (cloth) + 尚 (phonetic, 'esteem')
Originally written 裳, 常 was a phono-semantic compound: 巾 ('cloth') gave the meaning and 尚 supplied the sound, referring to a long lower garment or skirt. Over time the meaning shifted from 'everyday garment' to 'ordinary, regular, constant', while 裳 took over the original clothing sense.
见 — eye 目 over legs 儿 (人)
见 (traditional 見) is a pictograph of a person 儿 with a large eye 目 on top, emphasizing the act of seeing. The original meaning 'to see' broadened over time to include 'to meet,' 'to perceive,' and 'view/opinion.' The simplified form 见 keeps the same structure in cursive shorthand.