系统
xìtǒng · HSK 4
pedigree
🧬 系 = tie/connect + 统 = unify/govern → connected whole
系 originally meant a thread that ties things together; 统 means to govern or unify a line of descent. Combined they name any tied-together, governed whole — a lineage, pedigree, or system.
系 — silk radical 糸 with a stroke on top
Originally a pictograph of a hand holding silk threads, showing connection or lineage. The character depicts threads being tied together, which gave rise to meanings like 'system,' 'lineage,' and 'to connect.' It later became used for organized sequences or relationships.