董事会
dǒngshìhuì · HSK 7
board of directors
🏢👔 dong = supervise + shi = affairs + hui = meeting: the supervising-affairs meeting
Each character pulls its weight: 董 means to supervise or direct, 事 means affairs or matters, 会 means a gathering. Together they literally name the gathering that directs company affairs — the board of directors.
事 — hand 又 holding a banner/tablet on a pole
Originally a pictograph of a hand (又) grasping a pole or ceremonial banner used by an official, depicting the act of conducting court business. From this it came to mean 'affair, matter, business, service.' It shares an ancient origin with 史 (scribe) and 吏 (official).
会 — 人 person on top + 云 cloud/say below (simplified from 會)
The traditional form 會 showed a lid over a vessel with contents stacked inside, depicting things coming together — hence 'meet, gather, assemble.' From 'gathering' it extended to 'meeting,' then 'understand' (minds meeting) and 'be able to.' The simplified 会 keeps only a schematic top and bottom.