開会

かいかい · kaikai · JLPT N2 · noun

meeting

開会 = 開 open + 会 meeting, so the meeting is opened

Both characters are read kai: 開 (open) and 会 (meeting). The compound names the act of opening a meeting.

会 — 人 person on top + 云 cloud/say below (simplified from 會)
The traditional form 會 showed a lid over a vessel with contents stacked inside, depicting things coming together — hence 'meet, gather, assemble.' From 'gathering' it extended to 'meeting,' then 'understand' (minds meeting) and 'be able to.' The simplified 会 keeps only a schematic top and bottom.

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