科
kē · HSK 2
department
📚 科 = 禾 (grain) + 斗 (measure) — measuring grain into categories
Originally depicted measuring grain with a dipper to sort it by type, hence the sense of classification, category, or department. The modern meanings (science, branch, rules) all extend from this idea of dividing things into sections.
科 — grain 禾 + measure 斗
科 combines 禾 (grain) and 斗 (a dipper/measure), originally depicting the act of measuring or grading grain. From this, it extended to mean classification, category, and branch of study. Today it commonly appears in words for science (科学) and academic disciplines.