求婚
qiú hūn · HSK 7
to propose marriage
💍 求 (seek) + 婚 (marriage) = to seek marriage = propose
求 means to seek or request; 婚 means marriage or wedding. Together they mean asking for marriage. The sound qiú hūn pairs the falling-rising qiú with the level hūn.
求 — pictograph of a fur garment
求 originally depicted a fur coat or pelt, with hairs hanging from the sides. It was later borrowed phonetically to mean 'seek' or 'request,' and the original 'fur' meaning was taken over by 裘. Today 求 almost always means to seek, beg, or pursue.