起床
qǐchuáng · HSK 1
get out of bed
⏰🛏️ 起床 = rise + bed (起 qǐ 'rise' + 床 chuáng 'bed')
起 means to rise or get up; 床 means bed. Together 起床 literally reads 'rise from bed' = wake up and get out of bed. The 广 radical in 床 is a roof/shelter over 木 (wood) — a wooden frame under cover.
起 — 走 (run) + 己 (self/phonetic)
起 combines 走 'run/walk' as the meaning component with 己 as the phonetic component. The 走 element suggests movement of the body, giving the core sense of rising up or starting to move. From there it extended to meanings like 'get up,' 'begin,' and 'arise.'
床 — 广 (shelter) + 木 (wood)
床 combines 广 (a roof or shelter) with 木 (wood), depicting a wooden piece of furniture kept indoors. Originally it referred to a low wooden platform or couch used for sitting and sleeping. Over time the meaning narrowed mainly to 'bed,' though it still appears in compounds for table-like stands.