表す
あらわす · arawasu · JLPT N3 · verb-godan
to express
📢 表 = surface + す verb ending: bring something to the surface
表 (おもて) means surface or front. 表す turns it into a verb: to bring something up to the surface where others can see it. That covers expressing feelings, showing meaning and representing ideas. Its partner 現す (also arawasu) means to appear.
表 — fur 毛 on top + garment 衣 below
Originally depicted an outer fur garment, with 毛 (fur) above 衣 (clothing), showing the hairy outside of a coat. From 'outer garment' it extended to mean 'outside, surface,' then 'to show, express, display,' and later 'table, chart' as something laid out on the surface.