电
diàn · HSK 1
electricity
⚡ Originally 電: rain 雨 + lightning 申 — electricity is lightning from the sky
The traditional form 電 shows 雨 (rain) over 申 (a pictograph of forked lightning). Simplified to 电 by dropping the rain radical. Same root appears in 电话 (telephone) and 电脑 (computer).
电 — rain 雨 + lightning tail 电
Originally a pictograph of lightning streaking from a cloud, written 電 with the rain radical 雨 on top. The bottom 电 depicts the zigzag flash itself. The simplified form 电 drops 雨 and keeps just the lightning shape. Meaning extended from 'lightning' to 'electricity' in modern usage.