演じる
えんじる · enjiru · JLPT N1 · verb-ichidan
to play
🎭 演 (en) = perform, as in 演劇 drama; add じる and it means to perform a role
The kanji 演 means perform or unfold, as in 演劇 (theatre) and 演奏 (playing music). Adding the verb ending じる gives to perform a part or to act.
演 — water 氵 + 寅 (yín, phonetic)
演 is a semantic-phonetic compound: the water radical 氵 gives the meaning, originally referring to water flowing far and spreading out, while 寅 supplies the sound. From 'water extending' it broadened to 'develop, elaborate, perform,' as in unfolding a story or acting out a play.