接触
jiēchù · HSK 5
contact
🤝 接 = receive/connect + 触 = touch; literally 'connect-touch' = make contact
接 (jiē) means to receive, join, or connect; 触 (chù) means to touch or feel. Together 接触 spans physical contact and metaphorical 'getting in touch' or engaging with people or ideas.
接 — hand 扌 + concubine 妾 (phonetic)
接 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 carries the meaning of receiving or joining with the hand, while 妾 supplies the sound. From 'taking with the hand' it broadened to 'receive, meet, connect, join together'.