闸
牐zhá
#3,274 most
frequent character
sluice, lock (on waterway)
Character breakdown
Source: Make Me a Hanzi.
闸 pairs 门 door with 甲 jiǎ as the sound part, though the sound link is not clear in Mandarin. It first meant a lock gate for controlling water levels. The meaning grew to car brake and electric switch.
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