张
zhāng · HSK 3
sheet of paper
🏹 弓 + 长 = bow + long; to draw/stretch a bow, hence 'open/spread'
张 decomposes into 弓 (bow) + 长 (long), originally 'to draw a bow taut.' From 'stretch open' it became the measure word for flat, spread-out things like paper, tables, and mouths.
张 — bow 弓 + long 长 (phonetic)
张 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 弓 (bow) gives the meaning, originally referring to stringing or drawing a bow. The right side 长 supplies the sound. From 'draw a bow' it extended to 'stretch, open, spread,' and is now also a very common surname.