点検
てんけん · tenken · JLPT N1 · noun
inspection
🔍 点検 = 点 (tick mark, dot) + 検 (examine): examine closely, then tick each item
Both kanji relate to checking: 点 marks a point or tick, and 検 means to examine closely. Tenken is inspecting each item and marking it off as checked.
点 — fire radical 灬 + 占 (zhān, phonetic)
Originally written 點, a semantic-phonetic compound: 黑 (black) gave the meaning 'small black mark or dot' while 占 supplied the sound. It first referred to ink spots, then extended to 'point, drop, a little,' and verbs like 'to mark' or 'to light (a fire),' reflected in the simplified form's 灬 (fire) component.