HSK 3.0 · LEVEL 1
商场
Shopping mall, department store, or marketplace.
Free Chinese vocabulary flashcard · HSK 1
Why does 商场 look like this?
商 (shāng) originally depicted a ritual vessel and evolved to represent trade/commerce. 场 (chǎng) combines 土 (earth/ground) and 𠃓 (an open space). Together, they form a 'commercial open space'.