防盗
fáng dào · HSK 7
to guard against theft
🔒🛡️ 防 guard + 盗 thief = guarding against thieves
防 means to defend or prevent, 盗 means thief or steal. Together they form the concept of anti-theft — literally defending against stealing. fáng dào sounds a bit like found out, as in the thief was found out.
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'.
盗 — 次 (drool/desire) + 皿 (dish/vessel)
Originally depicted someone drooling (次, showing saliva 氵 next to a person yawning 欠) over a vessel of food (皿), capturing the idea of coveting what belongs to others. The meaning extended from coveting to stealing, and today 盗 means 'to steal' or 'thief/robber'.