痒
yǎng · HSK 7
to itch
🦟 疒 sickness radical + 羊 yáng (sheep) for sound = an itch
The 疒 radical marks bodily ailments; here it pairs with 羊 (yáng, sheep) which supplies the yǎng sound. A mosquito bite is the classic cause of an itch.
痒 — sickness radical 疒 + sheep 羊 (phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound: 疒 (illness) gives the meaning of a bodily affliction, while 羊 (yáng, sheep) supplies the sound. The character originally referred to skin ailments and came to mean 'itch,' the irritating sensation that makes one want to scratch.