技能
jìnéng · HSK 5
ability
🛠️ 技 = skill/craft + 能 = ability; literally 'craft-ability'
技 carries the hand radical 扌, marking it as something done with the hands — a craft or technique. Pair it with 能 (ability, capacity) and you get 技能: the capacity to perform a craft, i.e. know-how or mastery.
能 — 厶 (head) + 月 (body/flesh) + 匕匕 (legs)
Originally a pictograph of a bear, showing its head, body, and powerful legs. Because bears were seen as strong and capable, the character was borrowed to mean 'ability' or 'can'. A new character 熊 (with the fire radical 灬) was later created for 'bear'.