揭示
jiē shì · HSK 7
to show
🎭 揭 lift/uncover + 示 show = lift the cover to make known
揭 means to peel back or lift off a covering; 示 means to display or show. Together: uncover something so others can see it. The 礻 radical in 示 often marks words about showing, signs, or rituals.
揭 — hand radical 扌 + 曷 (phonetic)
揭 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 carries the meaning of a physical action done with the hand, while 曷 supplies the sound (related to jiē/hé). Originally it meant to lift or raise something high, and from there extended to 'uncover, reveal, expose'.
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.