造成
zàochéng · HSK 3
give rise to
🔨 造 = make/build + 成 = become/accomplish → bring about
造 means to make or construct; 成 means to become or complete. Together 造成 literally reads as make-into-being, i.e. to cause or give rise to a result — usually a negative one like damage or trouble.
造 — 辶 (walk) + 告 (tell/announce)
造 combines the walking radical 辶 with 告 (announce), which also gives the sound. Originally it meant 'to go and report to,' then 'to reach' or 'arrive at.' Over time the meaning shifted to 'to make' or 'to build,' the sense most common today.
成 — 戊 (halberd/weapon) + 丁 (nail/man)
Originally a pictograph of a halberd or axe-like weapon, suggesting the act of completing a task by force. Over time it shifted from 'to subdue' to the broader meaning 'to accomplish' or 'to become'. The 丁 element inside also hints at the chéng sound.