持
chí · HSK 7
hold
✊ chí = hand (扌) + temple (寺) — a hand holding steady like a temple stands
The left radical 扌 means hand. The right component 寺 (temple) gives the sound chí. A hand that holds firm and enduring, the way a temple endures through centuries.
持 — hand 扌 + temple 寺 (phonetic)
持 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 carries the meaning 'to hold' or 'grasp', while 寺 supplies the sound (it once read close to chí). Originally depicting a hand holding something firmly, it broadened to mean 'maintain', 'support', or 'keep' over time.