型
かた · kata · JLPT N3 · noun
cast
🥋 Same kata as in karate: a fixed form you copy, like clay in a mold
型 = 刑 + 土 (earth). The 刑 part began as 井, a wooden frame, so the character is earth packed into a frame: a mold for casting. In karate, a kata is a set pattern of moves you repeat exactly.
型 — earth 土 + 刑 (xíng, phonetic)
型 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The 土 (earth) component points to its original meaning: a clay or earthen mold used for casting. The right side 刑 supplies the sound. From 'casting mold' it broadened to mean 'model, type, pattern' in modern usage.