成立
せいりつ · seiritsu · JLPT N2 · noun
establishment
🏗️ 成 = become + 立 = stand up: it becomes and stands, so it's established
成 means complete or turn into, and 立 means stand up or set up. Together they describe something that has been set up and completed.
成 — 戊 (halberd/weapon) + 丁 (nail/man)
Originally a pictograph of a halberd or axe-like weapon, suggesting the act of completing a task by force. Over time it shifted from 'to subdue' to the broader meaning 'to accomplish' or 'to become'. The 丁 element inside also hints at the chéng sound.
立 — person standing on ground (大 over 一)
Pictograph of a person standing with arms outstretched on the ground line below. The original oracle bone form clearly shows a frontal human figure planted on the earth. The core meaning 'to stand' extended to 'establish, set up, erect.'