执法
zhí fǎ · HSK 7
to enforce a law
👮⚖️ 执法 = 执 (grasp, carry out) + 法 (law) = to grasp and carry out the law
执 means to hold or execute, and 法 means law. Put together they mean carrying out the law: law enforcement. 法 fǎ also shows up in 办法 (method) and 法律 (law).
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'.