数
shù · HSK 2
several
🔢 数 = 娄 (loose grain) + 攵 (hand with stick) — tally by counting
Originally meant to count or enumerate; the 攵 radical shows a hand striking, suggesting tallying. From counting came the sense of number, and then several or a few when used loosely.
数 — 婁 (lóu, phonetic) + 攵 (action radical)
数 is a phono-semantic compound. The right side 攵 (a hand holding a stick) suggests an action, originally tallying or counting by striking marks. The left side 婁 supplies the sound. Over time the meaning broadened from 'to count' to 'number' and 'several'.