演戏
yǎnxì · HSK 7
to put on a play; to perform
🎭 演戏 = 演 perform + 戏 play/drama = putting on a show, playacting
演 means to perform or enact; 戏 is a play or drama. Together they mean acting out a role, often used figuratively for pretending or putting on an act rather than being genuine.
演 — water 氵 + 寅 (yín, phonetic)
演 is a semantic-phonetic compound: the water radical 氵 gives the meaning, originally referring to water flowing far and spreading out, while 寅 supplies the sound. From 'water extending' it broadened to 'develop, elaborate, perform,' as in unfolding a story or acting out a play.
戏 — 戈 spear + 虚-variant 虍/seat (left)
Originally written 戲, combining a left element depicting a ceremonial vessel or tiger-headed seat with 戈 (spear/halberd) on the right, suggesting armed performance or mock combat. It came to mean 'play, drama, theatrical performance.' The modern simplified form 戏 keeps 戈 and replaces the complex left side with 又 (hand).