胸部
xiōngbù · HSK 4
chest
🫁 胸部 = chest/bosom + part/section
胸 means chest or bosom; 部 means part, section, or department. Together 胸部 literally reads as chest-part, i.e. the thorax region. The 月 radical in 胸 marks body parts (flesh), a common anatomy clue.
部 — 阝(邑) right + 咅 phonetic
The right-side 阝 derives from 邑 (city/settlement), giving the meaning of a region, district, or administrative division. The left side 咅 supplies the sound. Originally referring to a settlement, the meaning broadened to 'part,' 'section,' or 'ministry.'