重要
じゅうよう · juuyou · JLPT N3 · na-adj
important
⚖️ 重要 = heavy (重) + essential (要): a weighty essential
重 means heavy and 要 means need or essential point. Something important carries weight and is needed. The same idea lives in English: a weighty matter is an important one. Reading: juu (重) + you (要).
重 — person 人 + east 東 (phonetic)
Originally depicted a person carrying a heavy bundle on their back, suggesting weight and burden. The 東-like element served as a phonetic component. Over time the character split into two readings: zhòng meaning 'heavy' and chóng meaning 'repeat/again'.
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.