端
duān · HSK 6
tip
🏁 端 = 立 (stand) + 耑 (sprout) — a sprout standing upright at its starting point
端 means start, origin, or extremity. The 立 radical on the left means stand; the 耑 component on the right depicts a sprout with roots. Together: standing at the very beginning, hence start or end-point.
端 — 立 stand + 耑 (phonetic, sprout)
端 combines 立 'to stand' with phonetic 耑, which originally depicted a plant sprouting with roots and shoots — its tips at both ends. The semantic 立 reinforces 'upright,' giving 端 meanings like 'end, tip, extremity' and by extension 'upright, proper.'