适合
shìhé · HSK 3
fit
🧩 适 (suit) + 合 (join/fit) = suit-join → suitable, fits together
适 means suit/fit and 合 means join/combine or close together. The compound stacks two fit-meanings: something that suits AND joins well — i.e. a good match. Think of 合 as two halves closing (人 over 一 over 口).
合 — 乛 (lid/roof) + 口 (mouth)
Originally a pictograph of a lidded vessel — a cover (亼) closing over an opening (口) — giving the core sense of 'come together, join, fit.' From 'fit/match' it extended to 'combine, unite, agree' and to measure-word uses. The reading hé reflects this 'joining' meaning.