想法
xiǎngfǎ · HSK 2
idea
💭 想法 = 想 (think) + 法 (method) — a way of thinking, i.e. an idea
想 means to think or consider; 法 means method, law, or way. Together they literally read as 'thinking-method' — your way of thinking about something, i.e. a view, stance, or idea.
想 — heart 心 + 相 (xiāng, phonetic)
想 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The heart radical 心 at the bottom carries the meaning, since classical Chinese located thought and feeling in the heart. The top component 相 (xiāng) supplies the sound, and over time the character settled into the senses 'to think,' 'to want,' and 'to miss.'
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'.