望
wàng · HSK 7
moon
🌙 亡 + 月 (moon) + 王: a figure straining on tiptoe to see the moon far off
The 月 moon component anchors the sense of looking toward something distant. The character grew from a depiction of someone craning upward to watch the far sky, which gives 望 its meanings of gazing afar and observing.
望 — 亡 (phonetic) + 月 moon + 王 king/standing figure
Originally a pictograph of a person standing on tiptoe gazing at the moon, expressing the idea of looking far into the distance. Over time the figure was reshaped and 亡 was added as a phonetic element. The meaning extended from 'gaze afar' to 'hope for' or 'expect.'