扎
zhā , zā · HSK 6
to tie
🪢 Hand radical (扌) + hook (乙) = a hand pulling a knot tight
zhā echoes the snap of rope yanked taut. The hand grabs, the hook catches — binding a bundle, or the sharp bite of cold piercing through cloth.
扎 — hand radical 扌 + 乚
扎 is a phono-semantic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning, since the original sense involves piercing, tying, or pulling with the hand, while 乚 hints at the sound. Over time it broadened to cover 'prick,' 'tie up,' and 'plunge into.'