成り立つ
なりたつ · naritatsu · JLPT N1 · verb-godan
viable
🧱 成る (become) + 立つ (stand) = parts become a whole that stands, so it holds up
Built from 成る (to become) and 立つ (to stand up). Parts that come together into a standing whole are sound, so the word covers both 'made up of' and 'workable'.
成 — 戊 (halberd/weapon) + 丁 (nail/man)
Originally a pictograph of a halberd or axe-like weapon, suggesting the act of completing a task by force. Over time it shifted from 'to subdue' to the broader meaning 'to accomplish' or 'to become'. The 丁 element inside also hints at the chéng sound.
立 — person standing on ground (大 over 一)
Pictograph of a person standing with arms outstretched on the ground line below. The original oracle bone form clearly shows a frontal human figure planted on the earth. The core meaning 'to stand' extended to 'establish, set up, erect.'