着迷
zháo mí · HSK 7
to be fascinated
🧲 着 attach + 迷 lost-in = stuck-attached and lost in something = captivated
着 (zháo) means to get attached or hooked, and 迷 (mí) means a fan or someone lost in something. Together: hooked and lost in it, so fascinated. The 迷 in 着迷 is the same 迷 as in 球迷 (sports fan).
着 — sheep 羊 (top) + eye 目 (bottom)
着 originated as a variant of 著, which depicted plants emerging visibly above ground (grass radical 艹 over 者). Over time 着 split off to carry meanings like 'attach,' 'wear,' or a verb suffix marking ongoing action (zhe), while 著 kept senses like 'manifest' or 'author.'
迷 — 辶 (walk) + 米 (rice/mǐ, phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The 辶 component (walking/road) gives the meaning of going astray on a path, while 米 (mǐ) supplies the sound. Originally referring to losing one's way while traveling, it later extended to mean confused, lost, or fascinated/captivated by something.