探亲
tànqīn · HSK 7
go home to visit one's family
🏠👪 探 visit/probe + 亲 kin = go probe in on your kinfolk back home
探 — hand radical 扌 + 罙 (depth/cave)
探 combines the hand radical 扌 with 罙, which depicts a hand reaching into a cave or deep place. The original sense was reaching in to feel for or retrieve something hidden, which extended to 'probe,' 'search,' and 'explore.' 罙 also hints at the sound.
亲 — 立 (stand) + 木 (tree); simplified from 親
The traditional form 親 combined 亲 (phonetic, depicting a hazelnut tree) with 見 (see), suggesting closeness through frequent seeing of family. In simplified Chinese, 見 was dropped, leaving 亲. It now means 'parent,' 'intimate,' or 'in person,' and as qìng denotes in-laws.