譬如
pìrú · HSK 7
for example
譬 analogy + 如 like/as = giving a like-this analogy, i.e. for example
如 (rú, like/as) also appears in 例如 lìrú, another for example word, so the 如 = like/as link is a reliable hook. Sound: pìrú ~ pea-roo.
如 — woman radical 女 + mouth 口
Originally a phono-semantic compound where 女 (woman) suggested compliance and 口 (mouth) indicated speaking or following orders. The early sense was 'to follow' or 'to comply with what is said,' which extended to 'to be like' or 'as if.' Modern uses like 'if' and 'such as' grew from this comparative meaning.