提议
tíyì · HSK 7
propose
💡 提 (raise/lift) + 议 (discuss) = raise something for discussion = propose
提 means to lift or raise, and 议 means to discuss or deliberate (it shares the 言 speech radical). Raising a matter for discussion is making a proposal or suggestion.
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.'
议 — speech radical 讠 (言) + 义 (yì, righteousness)
议 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The speech radical 讠 (言) signals meaning related to talking, while 义 supplies the sound 'yì'. Together they convey discussing or deliberating—literally 'speech about what is right,' which fits its modern senses of 'discuss' and 'proposal.'