receive, meet

接 is composed of the radical 手 (hand) and 妾 (concubine, female slave). 妾 depicts a woman subjected to physical punishment, originally meaning a female slave. Female slaves had a lowly status and were often treated as goods to be gifted or exchanged in ancient times. Thus, 接 conveys the idea of receiving a female slave with the hand, later extending to mean joining, connecting, or coming into contact.