重視
じゅうし · juushi · JLPT N3 · noun
importance
⚖️ 重視 = heavy + regard: to regard something as weighty
重 (juu) means heavy and 視 (shi) means to look at or regard. Treating a matter as heavy is giving it importance. The opposite is 軽視 (keishi), light + regard, meaning to make light of something.
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'.