棒
ぼう · bou · JLPT N3 · noun
stick
🪵 Bō staff, the martial-arts pole, is this word: 棒 = bou = pole
English borrowed the martial-arts 'bo staff' straight from 棒. The left side 木 (tree, wood) marks it as something made of wood, which fits a pole, rod or stick.
棒 — wood radical 木 + 奉 (offer/hold)
A semantic-phonetic compound: 木 gives the meaning (a wooden stick or club), while 奉 supplies the sound (bàng/fèng). Originally referring to a wooden staff or cudgel, the meaning later extended colloquially to 'excellent' or 'great,' as in something strong and impressive.