要素
ようそ · youso · JLPT N3 · noun
component
🧩 要素 = essential (要) + basic stuff (素): the essential raw pieces
要 means necessary or essential, as in 必要 (necessary). 素 means plain or raw material, as in 素材 (material) and 元素 (chemical element). Together they mean the essential pieces something is made of. Sound hook: yo, so... what are the elements?
要 — west 覀 (top) + woman 女 (bottom)
Originally a pictograph of a woman with hands on her waist, meaning 'waist' (the original form of 腰). The top 覀 is a stylized depiction of the waist area, not the character for 'west'. Over time it was borrowed for the meaning 'to want, important', so 腰 (with 月 flesh radical) was created for the original 'waist' sense.
素 — silk 糸 + sheng 𠂹 (hanging threads)
Originally depicted raw, undyed silk hanging to dry, with the silk radical 糸 below and strands above. From this came the meaning 'plain, unadorned, white,' then extended to 'basic element' or 'plain/simple' in general. The 'vegetarian' sense developed later from the idea of plain, unembellished food.