靠近
kàojìn · HSK 5
come near
🤗 靠近 = kào (lean on) + jìn (near) — lean in close
靠 means to lean on or rely on; 近 means near or close. Together 靠近 literally stacks 'lean + near' to mean approach, draw near, or stand by someone. The 'hug' sense comes from closing the gap until you're right next to them.
靠 — 告 (gào, phonetic) + 非 (fēi)
A semantic-phonetic compound: 告 supplies the sound (gào → kào) and 非 ('back-to-back') hints at the meaning of leaning. Originally meant 'to lean against' something, then extended to 'rely on, depend on,' and in modern usage also 'reliable' or 'near to.'
近 — 辶 (walk) + 斤 (axe, phonetic)
近 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The 辶 radical signals movement or distance, while 斤 (axe) supplies the sound. Together they convey the idea of a short distance to walk, hence 'near' or 'close'.