花嫁
はなよめ · hanayome · JLPT N2 · noun
bride
👰 花嫁 = flower + bride; 嫁 means marry off, so a bride is a flower being given away.
花 (hana) means flower and 嫁 (yome) means bride or to marry into a family. The compound pairs flower with bride, a common image in Japanese weddings.
花 — grass radical 艹 + 化 (change/phonetic)
花 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The top 艹 (grass) signals the plant meaning, while 化 ('change, transform') gives the sound and hints at how buds change into blossoms. It originally meant 'flower' or 'blossom' and later extended to 'flowery, patterned, to spend.'
嫁 — woman radical 女 + 家 (home/family)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The 女 radical signals 'woman,' while 家 ('home/family') gives the sound and reinforces the meaning. Together they convey a woman going to a new home — that is, marrying. The character has meant 'to marry (of a woman)' since ancient times.