招聘
zhāo pìn · HSK 6
to recruit
📢🤝 beckon (招) + engage (聘) = waving people over to hire them
招 has the hand radical (扌) plus 召 (summon) — a hand beckoning someone over. 聘 has the ear radical (耳) — getting their attention to engage. Summon + engage = recruit.
招 — hand radical 扌 + 召 (call)
招 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 supplies the meaning—an action done with the hand—while 召 (to summon, call) gives both phonetic value and reinforces the sense. Together they depict beckoning someone with a hand gesture, extended to 'recruit' or 'attract'.
聘 — ear 耳 + 甹 (phonetic)
聘 is a phono-semantic compound. The ear radical 耳 hints at meaning related to listening or formal communication, while 甹 supplies the sound. Originally it referred to a ceremonial visit or formal inquiry between states, later extending to engaging or hiring someone.