弾く
ひく · hiku · JLPT N5 · verb-godan
to play (a string instrument or piano)
🎸🎹 弾 = bow 弓 + single 単: one bowstring plucked, so you pluck strings
弾 holds 弓 (bow), and a bowstring twangs when plucked, which is how the kanji came to mean playing strings and keys. Sound hook: hiku is also 引く, to pull. You pull a string to play it, so pull and play share one sound.
はじく · hajiku · JLPT N1 · verb-godan
to play
🎹🎸 弾 = bow radical 弓 + 単; you twang the strings to play them, like a bowstring
The 弓 bow radical on the left points to a string that gets twanged or struck. 弾く covers both plucking guitar strings and striking piano keys. The same kanji appears in 弾丸 (bullet), a fast flick of force.