挡
dǎng · HSK 5
block
🛡️ 扌(hand) + 当 (block/serve as) = hand that blocks
扌is the hand radical; 当 means to serve as or to face. Together: a hand that faces and blocks something. Sound dǎng overlaps with 党 (party) and 当 (dāng), so the tone shift to 3rd marks the blocking sense.
挡 — hand radical 扌 + 当 dāng (phonetic)
挡 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 signals an action done with the hand, while 当 (dāng) supplies the sound. The combined character means to block, obstruct, or ward off — actions naturally performed by hand. It is the simplified form of 擋.