提示
tí shì · HSK 5
suggestion
💡 提 = lift/raise + 示 = show → raise up and show = hint
提 means to lift or raise (hand radical 扌 + 是), and 示 means to show or display. Together they mean lifting something up to show it — i.e., pointing it out, hinting, or reminding.
提 — hand radical 扌 + 是 (phonetic)
提 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning, since the character originally referred to lifting or carrying something by hand. The right side 是 supplies the sound. From 'lift up' it extended to 'raise (an issue),' 'mention,' and 'bring forward.'
示 — altar 示 (二 + 小); originally 丅 with three strokes
示 is a pictograph of an ancient altar or sacrificial stand, with the top line representing heaven and the strokes below depicting offerings or hanging banners. It originally meant 'to show' something to the spirits, and by extension came to mean 'to show, display, or indicate' in general. As a radical, it appears in many characters related to ritual, worship, and divine matters.