度假
dùjià · HSK 7
spend one's holidays
🏖️ 度 (degree/spend) + 假 (vacation) = spend a vacation
度 normally means degree or measure, but here it acts as a verb meaning to pass or spend time. 假 means holiday or leave. Together they form the standard way to say go on vacation or spend the holidays.
度 — 广 (shelter) + 庶 abbreviated (phonetic)
Originally depicted a hand measuring length under a shelter, meaning 'to measure' or 'a measure/standard.' From this came extended senses like 'degree,' 'extent,' and 'to pass through' (as in passing time). The reading 'dù' means degree/measure, while 'duó' preserves the older verbal sense of measuring.
假 — person radical 亻 + 叚 (borrow)
假 combines the person radical 亻 with 叚, which originally meant 'to borrow' and provides the sound. The core idea is a person borrowing something, which extended to 'borrowed,' 'not real,' or 'fake.' From there it also developed the meaning 'leave/vacation' (time borrowed away from work).