防御
fáng yù · HSK 7
defense
🛡️ fáng = prevent/guard + yù = resist/ward off — a double wall of defense
Both characters carry a protective meaning on their own. 防 means to prevent or guard against, while 御 means to resist or keep at bay. Together they reinforce each other: defense is guarding AND resisting.
防 — mound radical 阝(阜) + 方 fāng (phonetic)
防 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left element 阝 (from 阜) depicts a mound or earthen embankment, suggesting barriers and defense. The right element 方 supplies the sound. Together they evoke a dike or rampart that guards against floods or attacks, hence 'to guard, prevent, defend'.