妥当
だとう · datou · JLPT N2 · na-adj
proper
👔 妥 = gentle, agreeable + 当 = on target: a choice that fits the situation well
妥 means calm or agreeable, and 当 means fitting or hitting the mark. Together they describe something that suits what the occasion calls for, like a dress code.
妥 — claw 爫 on top + woman 女 below
妥 depicts a hand (爫) resting on a woman (女), originally suggesting calming or settling someone down. From this came the meanings 'peaceful,' 'secure,' and 'appropriate.' Today it mainly means 'proper' or 'satisfactory,' as in 妥当 (proper) and 妥协 (compromise).
当 — small ⺌ + crown 冖 + hand 彐 (simplified from 當: 尚 + 田)
Originally written 當, combining 田 'field' with 尚 as a phonetic. The early sense was 'to match' or 'face' a field of equal value, extended to 'correspond to', 'ought to', and 'serve as'. The simplified form 当 streamlines the upper 尚 component.