留神
liú shén · HSK 7
to be careful
👀 留 keep + 神 spirit/attention = keep your wits about you, stay alert
留 means to keep or retain; 神 means spirit, mind, or attention. Together: keep your attention switched on, so take care and watch out. Sound: liú shén, with shén the same 神 as in 精神 energy.
留 — 卯 (top) + 田 (field)
Originally a phono-semantic compound: 田 (field) suggests staying on the land, with 卯 hinting at the sound. Over time it came to mean 'remain, stay, keep,' as in keeping someone on the land or holding something in place. Modern uses include 留学 (study abroad) and 保留 (retain).
神 — 示 (altar/spirit) + 申 (lightning, phonetic)
神 combines 示, depicting an altar associated with rituals and spirits, with 申, originally a pictograph of lightning streaking across the sky. Ancient people saw lightning as a manifestation of divine power, so 申 contributes both sound and the idea of awe-inspiring force. Together they mean 'spirit' or 'god'.