鼓
gǔ · HSK 5
drum
🥁 鼓 = 壴 (drum on stand) + 攴 (hand with stick) — striking a drum
Left side 壴 depicts an ancient drum mounted on a stand; right side 攴 shows a hand holding a stick. The whole character is literally the act of beating a drum. Also extends to verbs like 鼓励 (to encourage, lit. drum-up).
鼓 — 壴 (drum on stand) + 攴 (hand with stick)
鼓 is a pictograph showing a drum mounted on a stand (壴) being struck by a hand holding a stick (攴/支). It originally depicted the act of beating a drum, and the meaning naturally extended from the instrument itself to the verb 'to beat, to rouse, to encourage.'