查明
chá míng · HSK 7
to ascertain
🔍 查 (check/examine) + 明 (clear/bright) = check until clear
You search through evidence (查 = investigate) until everything becomes bright and clear (明 = bright/clear). Cha sounds like 'charge ahead' into the facts, ming like 'meaning' — charge ahead until the meaning is clear.
查 — wood 木 + sun-on-tree 旦-like 且
Originally a variant form related to 楂 (a type of raft or wooden float), combining 木 (tree/wood) with 且 as phonetic. Over time it shifted to mean 'to inspect' or 'investigate,' likely through the idea of examining wood or tallies. The reading chá for 'check' became dominant in modern usage.