聘请
pìnqǐng · HSK 6
engage
📨 sounds like pin-ching — you pin down a candidate, then cha-ching, they're hired
聘 (pìn) means to hire or appoint, 请 (qǐng) means to invite or request. Together they form engage/invite — formally asking someone to take a role, like sending an official hiring letter.
聘 — ear 耳 + 甹 (phonetic)
聘 is a phono-semantic compound. The ear radical 耳 hints at meaning related to listening or formal communication, while 甹 supplies the sound. Originally it referred to a ceremonial visit or formal inquiry between states, later extending to engaging or hiring someone.
请 — speech radical 讠 + 青 (qīng, blue/green)
请 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The speech radical 讠 (言) signals a meaning related to speaking, while 青 (qīng) supplies the sound. Originally it meant 'to ask' or 'request' through speech, and later extended to the polite 'please' and 'to invite'.