胃
wèi · HSK 5
stomach
🫃 胃 = 田 (field) on top of 月 (flesh/meat radical) — the fleshy field that digests food
The top 田 originally depicted a stomach full of grain, later regularized to look like the field character. The bottom 月 is the flesh radical marking body organs. Together: the food-holding organ.
胃 — 田 (field, depicting stomach contents) + 月 (flesh radical)
Originally a pictograph showing a stomach filled with grain or food on top of the flesh radical 月 (meat/body). The top component, now written as 田, depicted the stomach's contents rather than a field. The character has consistently meant 'stomach' throughout its history.