懂中文 Dong Chinese

检

jiǎn

inspect

Original meaning: 

label on a book

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 佥 represents the sound. Simplified form of 檢. Based on the original meaning "label on a book". The meaning later shifted to "arrange" and "examine".

Components
木 meaning component

木  Meaning component

mù

  

tree

佥 sound component

佥  Sound component

qiān

  

together

Evolution

检 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
检 Clerical script Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
检 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
检 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

检 (檢) 

jiǎn

check; examine; to check; to examine; to inspect; to exercise restraint

Most common words with 检
Freq.
Word
Meaning

检查

inspection

检测

to detect

检

to check

检察官

public prosecutor

检验

to inspect