名作
めいさく · meisaku · JLPT N2 · noun
masterpiece
🖼️ 名 (famous) + 作 (work) = a famous work = masterpiece
名 (めい) means fame or renowned, and 作 (さく) means work or creation. Together, a renowned creation is a masterpiece. Both kanji appear in other words, such as 名前 (name) and 作品 (work of art).
名 — evening 夕 + mouth 口
A compound ideograph: in the dark of evening (夕), one cannot recognize others by sight, so the mouth (口) calls out a name to identify oneself. The original sense of 'name' broadened to include reputation, fame, and a measure word for people.
作 — person radical 亻 + 乍
作 combines the person radical 亻 with 乍, which originally depicted a sudden action or making something. The character means 'to do, make, or create,' with 亻 indicating human activity and 乍 supplying the sound. Over time it broadened to cover works, deeds, and acting as something.