粘る
ねばる · nebaru · JLPT N1 · verb-godan
to persist
🍯 粘る (nebaru) sounds like 'ne-bar-u': nebu-nebu sticky, like honey (蜂蜜) that clings to the spoon and won't let go
Stickiness and persistence share one idea: holding on. Sticky things hold on, and so does a person who keeps going. Think of 粘り強い (nebari-zuyoi), persistent.
粘 — rice 米 + occupy 占 (phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound: 米 (rice) gives the meaning, since sticky rice paste was a common adhesive, while 占 supplies the sound. The character originally referred to glutinous, sticky substances like rice paste, and later broadened to mean 'sticky' or 'to stick/adhere' in general.