守備
しゅび · shubi · JLPT N1 · noun
defense
🛡️ 守 guard + 備 prepare = 守備 defense: guarding by being prepared
The first kanji 守 means guard or protect, and the second 備 means prepare or equip. Together they form 守備 defense, as in 守備隊 (defense force) and 守備位置 (defensive position).
守 — roof 宀 + hand/measure 寸
Originally depicts a hand (寸) under a roof (宀), suggesting someone guarding or maintaining a household. The combination evokes the idea of holding or keeping watch over a place. From this concrete image of guarding a home, the meaning broadened to 'guard,' 'protect,' 'keep,' and 'observe (rules).'