建 (jiàn)

to establish; to found; to set up; to build; to construct

HSK 3.1 level 3
8 strokes

Etymology

Depicts a hand setting up a wooden post (聿) at the corner of a building site (𠃊).

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》：“建，立朝律也。从聿，从廴。”

Components

聿 (iconic) — Depicts a hand setting up a post.
𠃊 (iconic) — Depicts the corner of a building site. Modern form looks like 廴.