番
fān · HSK 6
a sort
🔢 番 fān = a turn or round; measure word for events like games, matches, or attempts
番 originally depicted animal tracks (釆 on top of 田), extended to mean 'turn' or 'sequence'. As a measure word, it counts events with effort or repetition: 一番努力 (one effort), 三番比赛 (three rounds).
番 — 釆 (animal tracks) on top + 田 (field) below
Originally a pictograph showing animal paw prints (釆) in a field (田), depicting tracks left by beasts. The early meaning related to taking turns or sequences, as tracks come one after another. It later extended to 'foreign' or 'barbarian,' and is now used as a measure word for occurrences or to mean 'number/turn.'