报警
bào jǐng · HSK 5
to report sth to the police
🚨 报 = report + 警 = warn/alert; report-warning = sound the alarm
报 means to report or announce; 警 means to warn or alert (as in 警察 police). Together: report a warning, i.e. raise an alarm or call the police. The 警 character itself contains 言 (speech) under 敬 (respect/caution).
报 — hand 扌 (报) + 卩 seal/kneeling figure
Originally 報 depicted a hand pressing a kneeling criminal under a manacle (幸 + 卩 + 又), meaning 'to judge' or 'requite a crime.' From 'repay/requite' it broadened to 'respond, report, announce.' The simplified form 报 keeps the hand 扌 and 卩 but drops the manacle element.