按摩
ànmó · HSK 5
massage
💆 按 (press) + 摩 (rub) = press-and-rub = massage
按 means to press down (hand 扌 + peace 安, a hand calming something). 摩 means to rub or grind (hand 手 under 麻, hemp being worked). Together: the press-and-rub motion of a massage.
按 — hand radical 扌 + 安 (peace)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning, indicating an action done with the hand, while 安 (ān, peace) supplies the sound. The original sense was to press down with the hand, which extended to meanings like 'to push,' 'to restrain,' and figuratively 'according to.'