Origin

This character combines a hand radical on the left, which signals that the meaning involves manual action or manipulation, with a sound component on the right that indicates the pronunciation. The hand element makes sense for meanings like "operate" and "maneuver" — these are things you do with your hands or by controlling something physically. Over time, the character extended to more abstract uses like "steer" (directing movement) and even "chastity" (controlling oneself), but the core idea of handling or managing something remained. The right component doesn't contribute to the meaning; it simply tells you roughly how to pronounce the character.