皆
jiē · HSK 7
all
👥 比 two side by side + 白 speak = the whole group speaks up = all, everyone
皆 stacks 比 (two figures lined up together) over 白 (to say or speak). When everyone lined up speaks at once, that is all of them, hence the meaning all; everyone. The jiē sound also opens 皆是 jiē shì, all are.
皆 — 比 (compare) on top + 白 (white/say) below
Originally a phono-semantic compound. The top element 比 (two people side by side) suggests 'together' or 'all alike,' while 白 below served as a phonetic component. Over time the meaning settled on 'all' or 'every one,' emphasizing collective inclusion.