認める
みとめる · mitomeru · JLPT N3 · verb-ichidan
to recognize
👀 mitomeru = 見 mi (see) + 留める tomeru (hold): hold your gaze on it
It's traditionally traced to 見留める, to see and fix your eyes on something. First you notice it, then you recognize it, then you accept it. The kanji 認 has 言 (words) on the left: you say yes to what you saw.