贪
tān · HSK 7
covet
💰 今 (now) over 贝 (cowrie shell/money) = wanting money right now = greed, covet
贪 — 今 (jīn, phonetic) + 貝 (shell/money)
贪 is a phono-semantic compound. The bottom 貝 (shell) signals meaning, since cowrie shells were ancient money, hinting at greed for wealth. The top 今 supplies the sound. The character originally meant coveting riches and broadened to mean greedy or craving in general.