謙虚
けんきょ · kenkyo · JLPT N2 · na-adj
modesty
謙 humble + 虚 empty = a modest person keeps their own ego empty
謙 means humble and 虚 means empty or hollow. Modesty means not filling yourself with pride, so there is room left for other people's ideas.
虚 — tiger radical 虍 + hill 丘 (now 业)
Originally depicted a large mound or hill where tigers (虍) roamed, written with 虍 over 丘. Because such high places were often deserted, the meaning shifted from 'big hill' to 'empty, void, vacant,' and by extension 'unreal' or 'humble.' The bottom 丘 was later simplified to 业.