数码
shù mǎ · HSK 4
digital
🔢 数 = number/count + 码 = code/numeral → digital numbers
数 means number or to count; 码 means code or a numeric symbol (also seen in 号码 phone number). Together 数码 literally stacks number + numeral, extending to the modern sense of digital.
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'.
码 — stone radical 石 + 马 (mǎ, horse, phonetic)
码 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The stone radical 石 hints at the original meaning: a small stone or weight used for counting or measuring. 马 supplies the sound mǎ. Over time the meaning broadened to 'numeral, code, yard (unit),' as in 号码 (number) and 密码 (password).