戒
jiè · HSK 5
to guard against; to exhort
🛡️ 戒 = 廾 (two hands) + 戈 (spear); hands holding a spear to guard
Etymology: two hands gripping a halberd, ready to ward off threats. Meaning extends from guarding against danger to abstaining (giving up a habit), as in 戒酒 'quit drinking'.
戒 — 廾 (two hands) + 戈 (dagger-axe)
Originally a pictograph showing two hands holding up a dagger-axe, depicting a guard on alert. The core meaning was 'to be on guard' or 'to be vigilant,' which extended to 'warn,' 'prohibit,' and later 'abstain from' (as in religious precepts).