成人
chéngrén · HSK 4
to reach adulthood; an adult
🧑 成 = become + 人 = person; becoming a person = adult
成 (chéng) means 'to become/complete' and 人 (rén) means 'person'. Together: one who has become a full person — an adult. Same 成 appears in 成功 (succeed) and 完成 (complete).
成 — 戊 (halberd/weapon) + 丁 (nail/man)
Originally a pictograph of a halberd or axe-like weapon, suggesting the act of completing a task by force. Over time it shifted from 'to subdue' to the broader meaning 'to accomplish' or 'to become'. The 丁 element inside also hints at the chéng sound.
人 — pictograph of a standing person
人 is a pictograph showing a person viewed from the side, with two strokes representing the legs and torso of a standing human. In oracle bone script it clearly depicted a figure leaning slightly forward. The meaning has remained 'person' or 'human' throughout its history.